The latest Forecourt Crime Index from the British Oil Security Syndicate (BOSS) has revealed that the crime index has fallen for the first time since 2021, yet fuel volumes taken in incidents have increased.

While unpaid fuel decreased by 5.9% and incidents of No Means of Payment (NMoP) were 10% lower than in the previous quarter, the average cost of NMoP incidents increased to £69.49, having been £64.79 in Q3 2023.

The average litres drawn in an NMoP incident increased to 43.24 in Q4 (from 42.02l in Q3 2023). Litres of fuel taken in DOFP incidents eased to an average of 34.32 litres per incident (from 33.54l in Q3 2023).

Bruce Nichol, operations director at BOSS, said the Crime Index shows a “new trend” of more fuel being stolen by the litre during incidents. “The latest Forecourt Crime Index shows a new trend unfolding. While the volume of unpaid fuel incidents declined in the final quarter of 2023, a subtle change lurks beneath the surface – the average litres drawn in these incidents have increased.

“This increase has pushed the cost per NMoP incident upwards, signalling a nuanced challenge for some forecourt operators. The need for greater vigilance becomes clear and demands heightened awareness.

“As we navigate this evolving terrain, staying one step ahead is not just a choice but a necessity for those who seek resilience, to ensure that they have robust procedures, such as Payment Watch, in place to manage the recovery of money-owed effectively.”

Meanwhile, increases in the average cost of incidents occurred at a time when the cost of fuel began to fall to an average of 149.6 pence per litre (ppl) for unleaded fuel (153 ppl in Q3 2023). Fuel prices are now at pre-Ukraine invasion levels.

Drive-Off-Failure-to-Pay (DOFP) saw a slight decline of 0.2%, during Q4 the average number of unpaid fuel incidents per site fell to 29.1 per site, and NMoP accounted for 59% of all Payment Watch reports.

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