AACS: COURT RULING REINFORCES PETROL THEFT IS A SERIOUS OFFENCE

MEDIA RELEASE

The Geelong Magistrates Court today handed down an important ruling which reinforced the serious nature of petrol theft, giving permission for service station operators to bring petrol thieves to justice.

The court has granted permission to APCO, a service station franchise network of 23 stores mainly in Victoria, to pursue the details of petrol thieves through VicRoads.

The path is now clear for APCO to obtain the personal details of thieves with a view to initiating action and repayment for the petrol stolen.

According to Australasian Association of Convenience Stores (AACS) CEO Jeff Rogut, the decision is a significant win for the convenience industry and could have broader national ramifications.

“Petrol theft costs the convenience industry upwards of $30 million in lost profit annually. It is a serious crime which costs service station operators significant financial loss and triggers considerable safety concerns for employees and the general public,” Mr Rogut said.

“We are encouraged by today’s court ruling which reinforces that petrol theft is a serious crime and that offenders should be brought to justice. For those people who steal petrol the message from our industry is clear: we will pursue offenders until they are caught and we’ll ensure they are punished.”

While not commenting directly on the new police approach to dealing with this issue, the magistrate did comment that “a criminal act is a criminal act.”

“This is a national issue that ideally requires a national response,” Mr Rogut said.

Potential solutions put forward by the AACS to deter this criminal practice include on the spot fines, similar to speeding fines or those incurred by shoplifters, and loss of licence demerit points.
Number plate recognition systems, already in use in many service stations, CCTV to capture images of those that steal petrol, vigilance by other motorists when filling up and improved partnerships with law enforcement are other ongoing potential solutions to the problem.
For further information, please contact:

Jeff Rogut
Chief Executive Officer
Australasian Association of Convenience Stores
Ph: 0467 873 789

Stephen Naylor
Wise McBaron Communication
Ph: (02) 9279 4770