Pump prices have been soaring over recent months amid an international oil price surge that was instigated by the recovery in global demand after the pandemic and exacerbated by the situation in Ukraine.
The rising prices have prompted a significant upswing in motorists driving off without paying, affecting many fuel businesses across the UK and crushing profit margins. Forecourt retailers need to remain vigilant and consider tightening pump authorisation procedures, as well as briefing staff on the tell-tale signs that indicate a potential drive-off.
Typical warning signals of a drive-off
- The driver is still at the wheel and the passenger is filling up;
- Open doors or open boot to hide number plate;
- Number plates obscured or appear altered;
- Lights of the vehicle still switched on;
- Engine still running;
- Vehicle parked facing away from the kiosk towards an exit;
- Customer trying to hide behind their own or another vehicle when filling up;
- Motorcyclists wearing a helmet during refuelling.
Tokheim EYE Security Solution
These are all valuable clues for retailers to consider, but what can be done to deter fuel thieves from targeting sites in the first place? Surveillance cameras are fast becoming today’s most cost-effective and reliable answer to crime prevention. One such option is the Tokheim EYETM Security Solution from TSG UK. This award-winning closed-circuit television (CCTV) solution was designed specifically for forecourts and has proved to be an excellent deterrent to criminals.
Tokheim EYE is an advanced high-definition (HD) camera surveillance system, activated by the slightest of movements on the forecourt, that is able to capture and store images of a suspected crime. The footage can be easily retrieved and viewed by site owners and authorised personnel, retrospectively or live, on any smart device.
The cameras are interfaced with automatic number plate (ANPR) recognition software and point-of sale-equipment both at the pumps and within the kiosk. This provides a range of valuable information linked to the camera recordings. Real-time and post-event data includes details such as the pump number, receipt, staff member involved, time/date and other useful transaction inputs.
Additionally, operators can make use of the extensive filtering feature, allowing them to refine incidents by type, such as tanker delivery or unauthorised access to dispenser cabinets. With an effective pinch zoom feature, users are also able to quickly isolate and focus on specific elements of the captured frame without losing image quality.
