A CURRENT AFFAIR – BOWSER BANDITS 

Petrol stations are turning to high-tech artificial intelligence to put the brakes on a surge in fuel theft sweeping the country. 

The technology – already in operation at more than 400 sites nationally – has prevented or recovered $15 million worth of petrol drive-offs, according to SenSen Artificial Intelligence.

SenSen’s Director of Clients and Markets Nathan Rogers said the system linked up to service stations’ existing CCTV network and automatically scanned number plates when cars pulled up to the pump. 

He said an alarm notified attendants inside when vehicles had previously been flagged as having stolen fuel from another site also using the technology. 

The bowser would then be disabled. 

“What the operator would do if one of them turned red is they would get on the intercom and they would ask that driver to come in and give them a card which will allow them to clear any debt,” Rogers said. 

At the Ampol petrol station in Wacol in Brisbane, manager Marlene – who only wanted her first name used – told A Current Affair fuel theft was rife. 

“We are seeing more and more theft every day,” she said. 

“They’re stealing from us and then we have to not employ people around here because we don’t have the money.” 

Petrol theft costs Australian retailers more than $70 million annually, according to the Australian Association of Convenience Stores. 

The group’s chief executive, Theo Foukkare, said that number had grown by 80 per cent in the last twelve months. 

He blamed the increase in theft on cost-of-living pressures, surging fuel prices and a reduction in police resources. 

“The majority of fuel drive-offs are from repeat offenders however in the last six to nine months of this year we are seeing a significant increase in new offenders,” Foukkare said.

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