Iran War pushes petrol prices higher as forecourts suffer theft and abuse

Petrol station operators are dealing with a sharp rise in forecourt thefts, as well as "increasing levels of abuse and aggression” following the start of the Iran war. New data has uncovered that almost £200,000 worth of fuel is now stolen every day across the UK as petrol prices hit a new high.

Fuel retailer security firm Forecourt Eye analysed data from 550 of the UK’s roughly 8,350 forecourts and found that the daily volume of fuel stolen rose by almost a quarter (24 per cent) from 5,777 litres to 7,163 litres per day on average in the five months prior to and following the outbreak of the conflict in the Middle East. This equates to a daily loss of £12,751, compared with £8,621 prior to 28 February.

Eagled-eyed readers will notice that the value of fuel stolen has outpaced the volume – something that’s down to the huge spike we’ve seen in the price of fuel as a result of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Nevertheless, Forecourt Eye extrapolated this data to estimate that, across the UK, almost £194,000 worth (the equivalent of around 109,000 litres) is now stolen on a daily basis.

The rise in petrol prices has seen accusations arise against many members of the public who have been reported as having abused forecourt staff. Executive director of the Petrol retailers Association, Gordon Balmers, said: “Today’s forecourts are dealing with far more than fuel theft. Our members are reporting increasing levels of abuse and aggression towards colleagues who are simply doing their jobs and have no influence over the price displayed on the forecourt.”

This growing anger against petrol station operators comes as the price of petrol hit an Iran war high of 160.85 per litre on 3 August. While the Competition and Markets Authority is yet to find any substantial evidence of foul play by retailers, the new Chancellor, John Healey, wrote in The Telegraph, “We’ll be watching closely for any suggestions that customers are being taken for a ride at the pump or the till.

“Companies’ willingness to work with the Government throughout this crisis has been positive, and there has been no significant evidence of so-called price gouging,” Healey continued, “but I want to be blunt in reassuring the public that our regulators have the powers to clamp down on it if it happens”.

Regardless of who is at fault for sky-high prices, this doesn’t change the fact that fuel theft is becoming a more prolific issue. Almost three in five incidents involve a driver filling up and simply driving off, with the remainder claiming they have No Means of Payment (NMOP). Forecourt Eye says that while there has been a rise in both first-time and repeat offenders, there has been a slightly larger rise in those filling up and not paying for the first time – hinting that the additional squeeze on everyone’s wallets might be convincing some to take the risk.

Earlier this year, Balmer told Auto Express: “While we recognise the financial pressures many households are facing, this behaviour is having a direct and immediate impact on forecourt operators.

“This is not a victimless crime,” he continued. “When fuel is not paid for, the cost does not disappear, it is absorbed by the retailer and ultimately adds to the wider cost of running a forecourt.”

In the meantime, the RAC’s head of policy, Simon Williams, said: “The analysis of wholesale fuel data shows prices at the pump should begin to stabilise this week. But the news for those who rely on diesel, including many businesses, is worrying as it looks set to carry on rising, possibly reaching 185p in the next week or so.”

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