AACS: WA POLICE MUST ADDRESS THE SPIRALLING COST OF PETROL THEFT

23 January 2014
With the year-on-year increase in incidence of petrol theft in Western Australia threatening to spiral out of control, the Australasian Association of Convenience Stores (AACS) has urged WA Police to draw a line in the sand and reinforce the criminal nature of petrol theft with harsher penalties and a stronger commitment to catching offenders.
With petrol theft steadily increasing in the state, AACS CEO Jeff Rogut reminded WA Police of their responsibility to deter petrol thieves instead of shifting the blame back on to retailers.
“Petrol theft has become an increasingly significant issue for service stations and the convenience industry in Western Australia as a whole. 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.
Mr Rogut acknowledged the legal difficulties which arise for police in seeking to prosecute such matters, as well as the lack of resources often cited by police.
“We are not asking WA Police to dedicate unwarranted resources to help prevent this crime and catch offenders. A simple directive from senior police enabling officers to contact offenders once identified and ask them to go back and pay, or fine them if they do not, would draw a line in the sand that this type of theft is not tolerated,” Mr Rogut said.
“Publicly supporting retailers in their communities through the media, reinforcing the fact that petrol theft is just not acceptable and that offenders will be punished, would also assist.
“We are committed to working with WA Police and parliament in Western Australia to address petrol theft, potentially through enacting laws enabling thieves to be served an infringement, as well as through campaigns to target serial offenders.”
Mr Rogut said the most effective coercion involves the loss of driver demerit points and heavy fines to reinforce the criminal nature of petrol theft.
“The AACS calls on police to do the job the community has entrusted in them, to deter crime and catch offenders, while supporting the small businesses which operate in a responsible and legal manner,” he said.
Mr Rogut said the onus on addressing this crime is too often shifted back to the industry with suggestions that stores should simply install pre-paid petrol systems at their own expense to do what, in effect, is the job of police.
“Pre-paid systems are inconvenient for customers, jeopardising the key offering and point of difference for convenience stores. They also punish the vast majority of customers who do the right thing,” Mr Rogut said.
“There are numerous inconveniences associated with mandatory pre-paid systems, as have been experienced by convenience stores in various countries around the world. Customers may have to make multiple trips to the counter if they underestimate the petrol they require. They may have to return to the store to purchase additional items, adding to congestion during busy periods.
“We should be proud that in Australia we offer honest customers the ability to pay for petrol after filling up and do any other shopping they require at their convenience. Our industry should not be condemned for treating honest customers with respect.”
Due to the lack of police support, AACS members are increasingly having to take matters into their own hands and do the job of police, instead of focusing on their own businesses.
In a significant development in Victoria, the Geelong Magistrates Court recently recognised the seriousness criminal nature of petrol theft. In granting permission to APCO, a service station franchise network of 23 stores, to pursue the details of petrol thieves through VicRoads, the magistrate confirmed that “a criminal act is a criminal act”.
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.
Mr Rogut said petrol theft costs the convenience industry upwards of $30 million in lost profit annually. Additionally, the safety implications of petrol theft are potentially dire. When thieves speed off without paying after having filled up their car, it becomes a very dangerous situation for other customers, employees and members of the general public.