Petrol crime surges by up to 30% since start of US-Iran war
Britain has seen an almost 30 per cent increase in fuel theft from petrol stations and could cost the forecourt sector more than £100 million a year, campaigners have warned.
According to the latest figures from the RAC, diesel prices have increased by 48.6 pence per liter (person) and gasoline by 25.1 pence since the war in Iran began at the end of February.
Forecourt Eye, which specializes in crime prevention for the oil industry, reported a 22 percent increase in “no method of payment” (NMoP) incidents in a sample of 500 forecourts since the start of the conflict in Iran, and a 6 percent increase in criminals leaving without paying, according to an April 10 report.
Drivers can fill out an NMoP form when they cannot pay for gas immediately, but must pay within seven days to prevent the incident from being considered criminal theft. According to the British Petroleum Safety Union (BOSS), this is the biggest challenge facing forecourt operators and accounts for two-thirds of all forecourt fuel crimes.
The organization warned that theft levels have now surpassed the highest levels in 2022 following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
BOSS’s fuel debt recovery service Payment Watch reported on Sunday that petrol stations had seen a 19 per cent increase in unpaid fuel, costing the industry more than £100 million a year. The campaigner called on petrol station operators to be wary of customers who enter the store during peak hours to make small purchases and then leave without paying for their fuel.
BOSS Executive Director Claire Nichol said: “BOSS has seen reports of a 19 per cent increase in outstanding fuel in March. “At current fuel costs, motorists’ deliberate avoidance of paying for fuel is costing the forecourt sector more than £100 million a year.
“We urge forecourt operators to be extra careful during busy periods and be aware of customers entering a store, making small purchases and not paying for fuel.”
Oil prices rose after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) took control of the Strait of Hormuz, an important waterway for oil tankers. Prices of Brent crude oil, considered the global benchmark for oil as a commodity, rose to $119 (£88) per barrel in March as global tensions escalated.
The price of crude oil fell on Friday after Iran declared the shipping route open, but when the market opened on Monday, prices were around $95.
Tensions flared overnight after the US Navy opened fire on and captured an Iranian-flagged cargo ship that ignored orders to stop while passing through Hormuz in the Gulf of Oman.
Mr Trump said the US negotiating team would be in Islamabad from Monday evening, but warned that if Tehran did not reach a deal, his military would “disable every power plant and every bridge in Iran” and there would be “no more Mr Nice Guy”.
Reports in Iranian state media suggested that Tehran would not participate in the negotiations.
Foreign Minister Yvette Cooper said any agreement should not allow Iran to charge fees for passage through the strait.
He said: “There are proposals circulating from Iran to impose a toll on the Bosphorus when the conflict ends.
“Since my call with more than 40 countries in early April, we have been working to build an international consensus on both the urgency of reopening the Strait of Hormuz and the principle that freedom of navigation must be fully restored without restrictions or tolls.
“It is clear from my conversations that more and more countries are joining the UK in insisting that there is no sustainable solution to closing Hormuz that would result in the Iranian regime charging for access.”
