Record Fuel Prices Leads to Record Fuel Thefts

As the U.K. sees record fuel prices once again this year, with average petrol peaking at over £1.60 per litre and average Diesel prices climbing over £1.80 per litre, fuelling a petrol or diesel car has become expensive, and for some too expensive. And when transportation energy costs more, goods and services cost more, too, further squeezing people’s already squeezed budgets.

The BBC reports that with the increase in fuel costs, that has been sustained for most of the year so far, it leads to two outcomes; some switch to electric cars and plug-in hybrid cars as a means to escape high, ongoing costs - which they are doing in record numbers - and some regrettably take to stealing fuel direct from the forecourts.

Fuel theft has said to have cost U.K. forecourts nearly £200,000 every day and the cost of this has to be absorbed by the forecourt operator, but with margins razor thin, invariably the cost will be passed on to drivers.
Forecourt Eye states that fuel theft has increased 48% when compared to the months prior to the war between Iran and the U.S. affecting 20% of the worlds oil supply via the Straight of Hormuz.

In addition, forecourt workers are also reporting an increase in abuse and violence from customers as prices become uncomfortable for some, and impossible to bear for others. Whilst this behaviour cannot be condoned, it highlights the stress and burden that high fuel costs are placing on the public that feels there is no alternative.

Whilst theft must be dealt with and prosecuted in accordance with the law, some people claim after filling up that they simply have no means to pay the bill. Stolen fuel rose to 108,000 litres per day across all forecourts in the U.K.

And despite an increase in deployment of security cameras across the forecourts, it’s offering little deterrent to those determined not to pay their fuel bill, with some forecourt operators asking for the Police to do more as drivers become more brazen.

Although price gouging does go on as well, the need for the U.K. to shift to electric and electrified vehicles - whilst tackling our high energy costs - is a fundamental change required to keep the U.K. isolated from overseas volatility of wars, OPEC’s influence and profiteering by oil giants.