Drive-off petrol theft is costing Victorian service station operators more than $12 million a year, according to the Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce. Station owner Arthur Nestor thinks up to $500 of petrol a week is being stolen from his service station alone.
To combat the theft, Mr Nestor (pictured) has installed a pre-pay system at some of his high-risk bowsers, but with an incentive. Motorists who pay before they fill up get a cent a litre discount.Good idea I reckon.
"I'm rewarding consumers who are using those bowsers by saving them a cent a litre," said Mr Nestor, one of about 30 station owners testing pre-pay statewide. "That's rewarding someone for their inconvenience, because I reckon that's what it is costing me in theft."
Mr Nestor's station, on the corner of Bay Road and Nepean Highway opposite Southland shopping centre, is a prime target for drive-off thefts, with quick access on to the busy road. Sometimes it is a car driver stealing fuel worth $10. Other times a diesel truck will steal a tankful worth $250.
Mr Nestor says the pre-pay system – which operates 24 hours a day at his station – has cut theft by almost 80 percent. Most of his regular customers now queue for the pre-pay bowsers to get the discount.
The Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce and Victoria Police have conducted a trial of pre-pay petrol since December during the high-risk hours between 8pm and 6am. It follows similar trials in South Australia and New South Wales.
The chamber's executive director, David Purchase, says the pre-pay system is used around the world. Once it is explained to motorists they are willing to change their buying patterns, he says.
The RACV opposes the prepay system as an inconvenience to motorists. Government relations manager David Cumming, said drive-offs were a financial burden only for independent service station owners – franchised stations were reimbursed for losses.
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You know, somebody actually complimented me on my driving today. They left a little note on the windscreen. It said, 'Parking Fine.'So that was nice.
I just wonder why the actions of the oil companies aren't put in the same context... they are robbing us blind, are they not?
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Now powered by PCOTY WINNING SR20DET - 32% engine weight, 37% capacity, 50% cylinder count
Clicky clicky here for previous ride! I still miss her!
I think people are naturally lazy (I am!) and can't be bothered walking into the actual counter area of the servo to line up to pay for juice so if they get a discount and don't have to go inside where you can also get some idiot (sorry servo workers) trying to sell chocolates and chewing gum to you when all you want is petrol then it will encourage people to pay instead of driving off. must work I suppose.
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You know, somebody actually complimented me on my driving today. They left a little note on the windscreen. It said, 'Parking Fine.'So that was nice.
Some people are just in a hurry and forget to pay. Some people just dont want to pay.
The idea from above is good - cos it means the pumps that are most likely going to be used by people who intend to drive off without paying (the pumps the furthest away from the shop) will be the busiest pumps. Thiefs are less likely to drive off if there is a que of people behind them that can get there rego details.
I have only recently started using the pay at the pump things, as its more convienient and you dont have to lock the car up - go inside the shop, que for 10 mins and get tempted by chocolate bars at the counter.
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FPV - Tickford Club of NSW
http://www.fpvclub.com
i was at the petrol station tonight and someone done the runner, what pisses me off is that people work hard to pay for petrol and you have these ****en dickheads stealing, makes me just as mad about car thieves, but that's a whole other story. I think car thieves shoudl be caught and given 50 lashes, wheres the taliban when you need em heheheeh
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1 billion bottles of beer on the ute, 1 billion bottles of beer...........
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), I now have 2 choices.
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