VACC Statement: Deliberate Drive-Offs from Service Stations

MELBOURNE – March 29, 2012: VACC represents independent service stations in Victoria through its Service Stations and Convenience Stores Division. VACC has worked closely with Victoria Police, and will continue to work closely with Victoria Police, to address the issue of deliberate drive-off thefts from service stations.

“Fuel theft is not a recent phenomenon as it has been around for years. VACC has previously recommended to Victoria Police that pre-paying for fuel is one of the strategies that should be adopted by the whole industry in the fight against deliberate fuel theft. However, we do not support the introduction of pre-pay at all pumps and for 24 hours of the day. Our members support the use of pre-pay at high risk times and at high risk pumps only,” VACC Executive Director, David Purchase, said.

The majority of VACC service station owners employ pre-pay between the hours of 10pm and 5am. They also address the issue of deliberate drive-offs by installing sophisticated video surveillance systems. Today’s digital cameras can detect more details than were captured in previous years, including the registration label on the front windscreen and the images are now clearer. There are no blind spots on a forecourt.

“The introduction of pre-pay is not a silver bullet. Pre-pay should be viewed as one element in a multi-level approach. We have recommended a number of strategies to Victoria Police, which include telephoning 000 to report a deliberate drive-off theft and the introduction of recording and reporting procedures by service station operators.

“VACC members have not reported an increase in deliberate fuel thefts over the last 12 months; however, they are more than aware of the implications of drive-offs on the retail fuel industry. If the average fill up is worth $50, and the service station makes 3 cents per litre, then the service station owner will need to sell another 1,700 litres of fuel just to break even.

“Until the whole retail fuel industry introduces pre-pay, the next best thing is for a vehicle owner to secure their number plate to their car with one-way screws. There have been occasions when thieves have removed number plates from one vehicle and fix them to another with the express purpose of deliberately driving-off from a service station without paying for the fuel.

“The harder it is for thieves to remove number plates, the harder it is for them to commit a crime. VACC service station members will continue to provide the one-way screws service because it is a simple, but effective, way of deterring this criminal activity. The one-way screw service is free of charge and motorists should use the ‘Find a Service’ tool on VACC’s website, vacc.com.au, to locate their nearest VACC member,” Mr Purchase said.