Changes to way police deal with fuel bilking

Devon and Cornwall Police are continuing to change the way incidents are dealt with, to ensure the best service possible can be given to the public with the existing resources.

Across Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly in 2015 the Force received around 1,600 reports where a customer had left without paying for fuel from a garage forecourt. These are not offences of fraud or theft, where there are indications of intent such the use of false number plates. In many cases they are a mistake on the part of the individual who when advised of their mistake returns to make payment for their fuel.

The Force will no longer be deploying officers to attend these reports and make contact with the member of the public on behalf of the garage, unless there is evidence of linked offending or vulnerability.

Garages are able to seek the vehicle owner’s details and pursue a civil recovery of this debt themselves and will be provided with the detail of how to do so on reporting. They will also be provided with advice on preventing these matters occurring. There are many garages across Devon and Cornwall who have put in place measures which ensure it is not possible to leave their forecourts without paying for fuel. 

The Force is keen to support all traders and, to accompany this, a crime prevention page about forecourt crime features on the Force website.  This offers practical advice on how owners can reduce the risk and highlights that fuel bilking is preventable.

Assistant Chief Constable Paul Netherton, Devon and Cornwall Police, said: “We need to manage the demand and deploy our limited resources effectively. We are looking at doing things differently and working with our communities to prevent crime. This is part of protecting our resources to deal with those incidents which pose the greatest threat to our community.

“Businesses need to use the civil recovery options already available to recover their losses. We will always target and thoroughly investigate repeat offenders and incidents where vulnerability is identified. We will also continue to offer prevention advice to reduce the risk of these incidents occurring.”

Since 24 April 2015, the process is as follows:

The incident is reported to police and a crime is recorded so police can build an accurate picture of the scale of the problem.

1. An assessment is made in terms of risk, threat and harm.

2. The level of investigation will be proportionate to the risk, threat and harm.

• Where the victim is vulnerable or any aggravating factors have been identified, for example the vehicle is known to police, has previously not paid for fuel or a small independent trader has been targeted on a number of occasions, the crime will be investigated in the same way it is currently, including CCTV being viewed and enquiries carried out.
• For the majority of cases where the incident is deemed to be a genuine one- off mistake, the use of civil recovery will be encouraged and the garage will be provided with crime prevention advice. The garage will be able to contact the DVLA for the registered keeper’s address so they can write to them asking for the fuel to be paid for. If reasonable attempts at civil recovery do not result in the driver paying, the case can be re-evaluated by police.

For crime prevention advice visit: www.devon-cornwall.police.uk/crime-prevention