What is the solution for fuel drive offs from garages?

[rudds1 102]

A fuel station on Carlisle street iirc had spikes fitted and drive offs dropped considerably

[Penistone999 10]

A police chief says petrol stations should make motorist pay at the pump first. But the owners say they will lose money when customers don`t come in to the shop and spend there while paying for fuel. They also say it would cost about 20k to convert the pumps for deb/credit cards.

 

Would steel exit barriers work. You can`t drive out of some car parks without paying prior to leaving, and there is usually less money involved than a fuel purchase. I suppose a fuel thief could always fill up then reverse out if there were barriers on the exit. What is the solution?

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-46094938

 

What about people who only use cash , like myself ?

[biscotti 10]

What happens when a barrier comes down to prevent a motorist driving off as someone else is leaving?

 

Prepay? What if I dont put enough fuel in. How a refund going to work. Thats a bit tricky. No way am I going to leave a card with the cashier. Cash - then I need a receipt first... more paper to faff about with...

 

Most of the prepay machines authorise you up to a certain amount, usually £99. If the pump gives you a receipt, I can't see a problem with that.

 

What about people who only use cash , like myself ?

 

Prepay in the kiosk in cash then.

 

Or, join the 21st century.

[slh73 32]

Prepay at the counter in the shop - pump stops working when you get to the amount you have prepaid for?

 

Wasn't even sure it was that big an issue?

 

Not practical for everyone - you ever filled a motorbike up? I always brim my tank, don't know what it's going to cost until its full

[Cyclone 10]

What happens when a barrier comes down to prevent a motorist driving off as someone else is leaving?

 

Prepay? What if I dont put enough fuel in. How a refund going to work. Thats a bit tricky. No way am I going to leave a card with the cashier. Cash - then I need a receipt first... more paper to faff about with...

 

It's not tricky at all. They block (pre-authorise) £100 on your card.

You then put in fuel, £37.49 for example. They release the block and charge £37.49

They would never pump more than the pre-auth amount, and there's no chance of you stealing it.

This is how pay at pump already works.

[El Cid 214]

A police chief says petrol stations should make motorist pay at the pump first.

 

Is it a police matter, I would have thought they would be busy solving the recent violence and murders that are at new heights.

Or maybe advising people on hate crimes.

[Cyclone 10]

I'm not sure how big an issue it is. Fuel can't be dispensed until the guys in the shop give permission, and I would assume that that would include some mechanism for registration plates to be caught on camera.

 

If someone does a runner for £40 worth of fuel, it would be easy to track them down.

 

Because criminals have never realised this and can't possibly change the number plate!

[Jeffrey Shaw 90]

Not practical for everyone - you ever filled a motorbike up? I always brim my tank, don't know what it's going to cost until its full

There's an easy answer. Pay (in booth) more than it's likely to cost, fill up, go back to booth, and obtain a refund- yes, in cash if you insist.

[Cyclone 10]

Not practical for everyone - you ever filled a motorbike up? I always brim my tank, don't know what it's going to cost until its full

 

And you insist on paying in cash?

[slh73 32]

And you insist on paying in cash?

 

No, I usually pay at the pump where possible, but I'm not every biker in the country

 

---------- Post added 06-11-2018 at 06:26 ----------

 

There's an easy answer. Pay (in booth) more than it's likely to cost, fill up, go back to booth, and obtain a refund- yes, in cash if you insist.

 

Thars not an easy answer though, is it? Go in booth, queue, pay, fill up, go back in, queue again, obtain refund, leave, taking double the time it currently does. I generally pay by card and use pay at pump where possible to save taking my helmet off, but that doesn't go for everyone else

[TheNugget 10]

If the forecourt owner is losing more than they calculate they gain by footfall into their shop, then they should install pre-pay at pump terminals.

 

If the police/government is fed up of spending money on tracking down people who steal fuel then they should charge the forecourt owner the cost of the investigation, unless they have pre-pay at the pump. Simples.

[Cyclone 10]

No, I usually pay at the pump where possible, but I'm not every biker in the country

 

---------- Post added 06-11-2018 at 06:26 ----------

 

 

Thars not an easy answer though, is it? Go in booth, queue, pay, fill up, go back in, queue again, obtain refund, leave, taking double the time it currently does. I generally pay by card and use pay at pump where possible to save taking my helmet off, but that doesn't go for everyone else

 

Won't be a queue will there if most people are paying at queue.

But for someone who insists on paying cash and putting in an unknown amount of fuel it's the only way to be sure that they pay isn't it.

 

---------- Post added 06-11-2018 at 07:54 ----------

 

 

If the police/government is fed up of spending money on tracking down people who steal fuel then they should charge the forecourt owner the cost of the investigation, unless they have pre-pay at the pump. Simples.

 

Do we really want to set a precedent where the victim is charged for the privilege of having the police investigate a crime?