The Petrol Retailers Association (PRA) has raised fresh concerns over a sharp rise in fuel theft across UK forecourts, as increasing pump prices continue to put pressure on motorists and retailers alike.
New evidence from Forecourt Eye points to a growing number of incidents involving both “making off without payment” and cases where customers report having no means to pay. The data suggests that a proportion of these incidents involve first-time offenders, reflecting wider financial pressures being felt by households.
Gordon Balmer, Executive Director of the Petrol Retailers Association, said: ‘The increase in pump prices has been matched by a rise in motorists driving off without paying or claiming they have no means to pay.
‘While we recognise the financial pressures many households are facing, this behaviour is having a direct and immediate impact on forecourt operators.
‘This is not a victimless crime. When fuel is not paid for, the cost does not disappear, it is absorbed by the retailer and ultimately adds to the wider cost of running a forecourt.
‘Many of our members are independent, family-run businesses operating on tight margins. They simply cannot absorb repeated losses without it affecting their ability to serve their local communities.’
The PRA continues to work with government, law enforcement and industry partners to improve recovery rates and deter offenders, while supporting retailers facing increasing levels of forecourt crime.
