A rising trend is being observed at fuel stations in London, where more drivers are leaving without paying for their fuel, according to recent statistics.
In Romford, a business owner is leveraging technology to combat this issue. Goran Raven, who runs a Shell garage that has been in his family for four generations, reports that this growing problem is significantly affecting his bottom line, costing him thousands of pounds.
“The impact on our business has been quite severe. Over the past four years, we’ve incurred a loss of £30,000 due to customers driving off without paying,” he explains.
“While people recognize the Shell brand, they should know that we are a family-owned establishment that has been providing Shell fuel since 1929. Ultimately, any losses incurred by this station fall on me and not on Shell,” he adds.
Data from the British Oil Security Syndicate indicates that in 2020, incidents of drive-offs constituted 7.6% of criminal activity at fuel stations. This number surged to 28.4% in 2024, with London reporting the highest frequency of these occurrences.
According to information obtained via Freedom of Information requests from the Metropolitan Police, over 14,000 incidents of making off without payment have been documented in the capital since 2020. Approximately 2,000 of these offenses occurred at filling stations located in Ealing, Enfield, Hayes, Thamesmead, and Camden.
These figures represent only reported instances, with actual numbers believed to be higher. Business owners like Mr. Raven express their discontent regarding the lack of police action and have opted to implement technology solutions, such as automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras.
“Our CCTV system is equipped with ANPR capabilities,” Mr. Raven says. “It scans license plates on vehicles and utilizes AI to analyze data. For example, if it identifies a red Fiesta filling up with unleaded fuel, it cross-references that information with the DVLA database. If the match is correct, the process continues without interruption; if there’s a discrepancy, such as if the DVLA indicates it should be a blue Escort, it will alert us, allowing us to halt the fuel pumps.”
Thanks to this technology, Mr. Raven reports an 80% reduction in drive-offs at his location, although not every small business can afford such systems.
Gordon Balmer from the Petrol Retailers Association notes that London is a prominent area for these incidents. “There are certain areas that suffer more acutely, with London being a significant challenge. The North of England and West Midlands are also concerns. We estimate the total cost to the industry is about £100 million each year,” he states.
“It appears that the rate has increased, driven partly by the cost of living crisis, and many offenders are opportunists. This trend mirrors rises in other offenses, such as shoplifting, making it a serious issue.”
Historically, police forces have maintained a policy of not responding to thefts under £100, but recent government initiatives are aimed at eliminating this threshold. “Authorities are urging law enforcement to take more action, and we are seeing increased attendance at incidents of shoplifting as well as fuel theft,” Mr. Balmer notes.
A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police commented, “The Met Police consistently tackles prolific offenders with intelligence-driven patrols and operations focused on the crimes that are of greatest concern to London residents. This summer alone, officers have made over 1,300 arrests in connection with a crackdown on crime and anti-social behavior in 20 hotspots throughout London.”
However, until a lasting solution is established, business owners like Mr. Raven indicate they will have no choice but to pass the costs associated with fuel theft onto their customers.
