BOSS – the British Oil Security Syndicate, has recorded a 31.5% fall in Drive Off incidents during the first two weeks of the third National lockdown. However, No Means of Payment incidents only fell by 16.5%. The data compares reports of forecourt crime incidents during the first two weeks of December 2020 with reports submitted to BOSS during the first two weeks of January 2021.

Kevin Eastwood, executive director at BOSS said: “Fuel sales have decline by around one third during the latest lockdown and the decline in Drive Off incidents is inline with this reduction and this continues the trend that has seen the volume of Drive Off crime incidents reduce. However, incidents of No Means of Payment, which only fell by 16.5%, indicates that it is becoming the dominant forecourt crime incident type in the UK.

“We would urge forecourt retailers to remain vigilent and, where incidents do occur, that they diligently record details so that those who deliberately evade payment can be followed up and money returned to forecourt retailers.”

BOSS has again deployed its resilience procedures to ensure that the BOSS Payment Watch scheme continues to operate during the lockdown. BOSS will also help fuel retailers’ support customers who make a genuine mistakes when paying for fuel.

The BOSS Payment Watch has demonstrated that where it operates it deters Drive Off and No Means of Payment activity. The service is open 24 hours a day and allows retailers to report incidents of Drive-Off and No Means of Payment via an online portal.  The digital service makes initial incident reporting quick and easier, and in the current climate safer. Forecourt operators are also able to monitor the status of live incidents and analyse trends.

Forecourt crime reduction guides that help forecourt retailers to reduce incidents and keep forecourts safe places to work and shop are available from BOSS. A free copy of the BOSS Drive-Off Prevention guide can be downloaded from the BOSS website at https://bossuk.org/guidance