Petrol theft issue a subject for future forum

Service station owners throughout the ACT have indicated overwhelmingly their desire to participate in an ACT Policing-organised industry forum aimed at discussing potential solutions to the petrol theft issue.

ACT Policing recently completed its Canberra-wide survey into the issue of service station patrons driving away without paying for fuel.

The survey encompassed all 56 service stations throughout the ACT and sought to determine what security measures are in place, and to gather general feedback on the drive-offs issue.

While some of the information obtained is commercial-in-confidence, the survey found that 11 of the 56 stations offered some facility for pre-payment of fuel as a means of discouraging theft, and some strategically shut down pumps after hours.

Under the current reporting system, service station operators are asked to complete and fax a form to police providing as much detail as possible about the offender and vehicle.

Some of the survey respondents have requested that this form be available on-line, or be submitted via email.

These issues will be among those which would be canvassed at a proposed forum to which all ACT service station proprietors will be invited.

Petrol thefts are increasing throughout the ACT. Over the nine months from July 1 2007 to April 30 2008, there had been a 33 per cent increase in petrol thefts compared with the corresponding period in 2006-07.

The Business Liaison Officer for ACT Policing, Senior Constable Racquel James, said that the survey had been extremely useful in giving police a “snapshot” of monitoring facilities at Canberra’s service stations.

“Increasing petrol thefts are an issue of mutual concern to police and the retail industry,” Senior Const James said.

“Now that we have this information, our next step is to engage the industry in a candid discussion about how we can work together to both make it more difficult for petrol thieves, and to give police the best possible chance of catching those responsible.”

The police-hosted forum is tentatively scheduled for late October.