Unpaid fuel incidents increased 19% during March as higher pump prices drove a renewed rise in forecourt crime, according to the latest Forecourt Crime Index from the British Oil Security Syndicate (BOSS).

The Index reached 219 in Q1 2026, up 4% on Q4 2025, marking a sustained upward trend since Q3 last year following a prolonged decline through 2024 and early 2025.

The increase coincides with sharp fuel price rises following the outbreak of war in the Middle East at the end of February. Average petrol prices rose from £1.372 per litre in Q4 2025 to a peak of £1.583 in April, while diesel increased from £1.466 to £1.915 per litre.

With unpaid fuel incidents now averaging £60.16 per case, BOSS estimates forecourts face potential losses of more than £12,000 per site annually, contributing to an industry‑wide cost of more than £100m a year.

While total unpaid fuel volumes in Q1 2026 remain marginally below Q1 2025, the latest figures reverse the downward trend previously seen in No Means of Payment (NMoP) and Making Off Without Payment (MOWP) incidents.

BOSS data shows that 65% of Drive‑Off-Failure‑to‑Pay incidents involve motorists entering a forecourt shop but leaving without paying for fuel, highlighting the need for strong in‑store procedures and staff vigilance.

Commenting on the latest Forecourt Crime Index, Claire Nichol, Executive Director at BOSS (above), said: “As fuel prices rise, we consistently see an increase in unpaid fuel incidents. At current prices, deliberate non‑payment is costing the forecourt sector more than £100m a year.”

“Operators should be particularly vigilant during busy periods and alert to customers making small purchases without declaring fuel.”

Claire Nichol added that sites using BOSS Payment Watch recorded a small reduction in unpaid fuel reports during the past 12 months, underlining the deterrent effect of well‑managed fuel debt recovery systems.

The BOSS Forecourt Crime Index, launched in 2015, tracks unpaid fuel incidents at UK forecourts to help operators assess risk and reduce losses.