WYNDHAM motorists could soon be forced to pre-pay for petrol as police and service station owners work to combat fuel-related thefts.
Chief Commissioner Ken Lay last week called on operators to introduce facilities that would allow motorists to pre-pay for fuel to stop people driving off without paying.
Recent crime statistics revealed 5932 instances of motorists not not paying for fuel between July 2011 and June this year. There were 16,000 petrol-related thefts in total.
In Wyndham in the past year, there was a 33 per cent increase in the theft of number plates which police say is linked to petrol drive-offs.
Crime prevention officer Craig McDonald said petrol thefts were being fuelled by the high cost of petrol.
A Hoppers Crossing Better Choice Fuel spokesman said pre-pay fuel pumps would help prevent drive-offs which mostly happened at night.
“You might get two or three drive-offs one week and then go two to three weeks without one,” he said.
“If people are going to leave without paying, they will do it regardless of the time of day or price.”
The spokesman said pre-pay pumps may initially annoy customers but they would get used to them.
However, the Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce, which represents independent service stations, said pre-pay fuel pumps were not a good idea.
Executive director David Purchase said service station owners reported that customers felt pre-pay pumps were too inconvenient.
“Independent service station owners are not going to start doing something their customers oppose.”
