PRE-paid pumps could be installed at Queensland petrol stations

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Increased fuel prices drive a spate of petrol thefts from Queensland bowsers

by: Alison Sandy
From: The Courier-Mail
September 18, 2012 12:00AM



PRE-paid pumps could be installed at Queensland petrol stations to combat a huge increase in thieves driving away from bowsers.

Queensland police statistics show nearly 12,000 petrol drive-offs occurred across the state last financial year, or 32 a day, double the previous year. Hardest hit were the Gold Coast and Logan, followed by Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast.

Authorities blame increased fuel and cost-of-living expenses for the surge and, despite businesses installing expensive surveillance equipment, culprits are still proving hard to catch. Serial offenders are even stealing numberplates to cover their tracks, with some caught on camera fleeing the bowser with the petrol pump still in their car.

A BP Australia spokesman said from experience in other countries, pre-pay pumps eliminated the problem, and more would be rolled out across the nation.

"Despite increased use of CCTV and other preventive measures, the frequency of drive-offs in all states continues to rise," he said.

"BP is introducing this technology in selected company-owned and company-operated sites, and will gradually expand the number of pre-pay pumps at high-risk sites."

However, Woolworths spokesman Benedict Brook said: "Any measures to reduce petrol drive-offs must also balance the needs of customers, who regularly tell us that they prefer paying for their petrol after they know exactly how much they have put in their tanks."

Queensland Police Union president Ian Leavers said pre-paid pumps should only apply off-peak, as many smaller operators wouldn't be able to afford it.

"To introduce pre-paying for petrol across Queensland would require a large change in culture, and some petrol station owners, particularly the small independents, would not have the capacity to do it," he said.

"A better way might be to consider having pre-paying of petrol between 10pm and 6am, when offenders may be more inclined to avoid paying."

Brendon O'Neill, who owns Neumann Petroleum in Morningside, said he had noticed an increase in recent months despite being a smaller station where drive-offs weren't as prevalent.

"Things are tight and people are just getting on edge," he said. "I get a lot of people coming in with credit cards and they'll go through three or four before they get one to work.

"Everyone's really doing it tough."

Mr O'Neill said police were now more vigilant about chasing up culprits, but they were rarely caught.

"When you lose $50; say for instance someone puts $50 worth of fuel in, you might make $1.50. So when they knock you for $50, they really are knocking you. Some of them take you for $80 or $100 - there's half a day's profit on your petrol gone."

Police Minister Jack Dempsey ruled out mandatory pre-paid pumps, saying advanced technology would ensure more offenders were caught in the future.

Karl Chinnala and Balaji Ramanathan are hit by fuel thieves every second day.

Their service station at Underwood, south of Brisbane, is in petrol-pinching heartland, with Queensland police statistics showing 2376 petrol drive-offs in the Logan district last financial year.

It's the highest incidence in the state.

"In the last three or four months, I'd say it's doubled," Mr Chinnala said.

He said they would have a minimum of "one drive-off every second day" and he would only get his money back from about one in 20.

Most involve stolen numberplates.

Mr Chinnala said often they would see the same people committing the crime.

"Other than drive-offs, there are people coming in to fill up their cars and then come inside and say: 'Nup, I don't have any money on me.'

"Even after taking the numberplate and everything, they don't come back."

Mr Chinnala said he would only agree with the pre-paid option after hours because the business would lose money from customers not going into the shop
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