Bilking - evading paying for fuel
The police refer to forecourt crime as bilking when describing the act of driving onto a petrol forecourt and deliberately driving off without paying. Home Office guidelines clearly state that making off without payment is a criminal act, but some forces often claim that Drive-Off and failure to pay are civil offences.
The term bilking is also used for describing people who leave a restaurant or taxi with out paying for the goods or service received.
Making off without payment is a statutory offence in England and Wales, and Northern Ireland. It was first introduced on the recommendation of the Criminal Law Revision Committee and is intended to protect legitimate business concerns and applies where goods are supplied or a service is performed on the basis that payment will be made there and then.
A motorist who draws fuel at a service station and then drives off with intent to avoid payment of the amount due has committed a criminal offence.
Research from BOSS estimates that forecourt crime costs UK fuel retailers £88 million per annum. We have also been instrumental in recovering more than £15 million p.a. owed to retailers. Our teams also work with fuel retailers and the police to improve the efficiency of reporting Drive-Off and No Means of Payment (NMoP) incidents.
For further information please take a look at the following:
For help with recovering money owed from incidents of unpaid fuel contact BOSS on 01926 864757