BOSS FIGURES SHOW FALL IN COST OF FORECOURT CRIME IN 2008

Crime at Britain’s petrol service stations fell by eight per cent in 2008, reversing a 13 per cent increase in estimated losses suffered by forecourt retailers in Britain during the previous year according to the latest forecourt crime statistics from BOSS – the British Oil Security Syndicate.

The annual BOSS survey of crime at Britain’s 9,283 service stations put total losses during 2008 at £29.9 million [2007: £32.5 million]. Driving off without paying and incidents of motorists who do not return to pay after claiming to have ‘no means of payment’ accounted for 88 per cent of losses and amounted to £26.3 million, 8.4 per cent down on 2007. This reduction was achieved despite a backdrop of 16 per cent higher average fuel prices than in 2007.

The BOSS figures show that, during 2008, the average value of incidents of driving off without paying increased from £35 in 2007 to over £40, closely corresponding to the increase in fuel prices.

Kevin Eastwood, executive director of BOSS, says:
"This eight per cent reduction in losses does not detract from the fact that crime levels at service stations remain unacceptable. High fuel prices make service stations a target for theft by driving off without paying and claiming to have no means of payment, but BOSS, by working closely with police and regional agencies, has reduced the incidence of this type of crime. Where effective crime reduction strategies have been introduced, the level of losses has been substantially reduced.

“BOSS is developing new initiatives and during the year ahead will be working with its members to make forecourts safer places to work and shop with a focus on reducing assaults on staff, theft, robbery, burglary and anti-social-behaviour.

“BOSS Forecourt Watch schemes have proved instrumental in the fight against service station crime, establishing local campaigns to monitor and pursue offenders while safeguarding the well-being of customers and staff. BOSS Forecourt Watch initiatives operate in over 70 areas across the UK and we have seen crime fall by more than 50 per cent in some cases. We are building on this success by continually improving the efficiency of our Forecourt Watch schemes.”

The BOSS forecourt crime figures below show incident and loss rates per 100 sites suffered by BOSS members in 2008.

• There is an ongoing drive to improve safety and tighten site security. The incidence of crime related injuries rose to 1.6 per 100 sites [2007:1.3]. There were historically high incident levels in January to June 2008 but these fell back in the second half of the year.

• Robbery incidents fell substantially to 4.6 incidents per 100 sites [2007: 7.7] and losses were also down at £6,909 per 100 sites [2007: £10,853].

burglary incident rate is now measured per 100 non-24 hour service stations as it is at these that the majority of burglaries occur. The following figures are not comparable with previous reports. The rate fell substantially to 24.5 incidents per 100 non-24 hour sites [2007: 38.8]. Losses were also lower at £32,280 per 100 non 24 hour sites [2007: £44,451].

• The rate for weapon related incidents fell to 3.0 per 100 [2007: 6.2]. Reporting of guns fell to 0.8 per 100 sites [2007: 1.4]; the rate of incidents involving knives fell to 1.3 [2005: 2.4] and reports of other weapons fell to 0.9 [2006: 2.4].

• Driving off without payment ( including losses due to motorists who claim to have no means to pay , ) represents 88 per cent of industry financial losses and, during 2008, incidents of this type cost £283,304 per 100 sites [2007: £309,308], down 8.4 per cent.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

The British Oil Security Syndicate (BOSS) is an independent trade organisation campaigning to reduce forecourt crime.  Formed in 1991 by the oil industry, its members include BP, Shell, Texaco, Total and the Petrol Retailers Association (PRA). BOSS is supported by the United Kingdom Petroleum Industry Association (UKPIA), the Association of Payment Clearing Services (APACS), Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) and the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO).

For further information about BOSS, contact Piers Roache or Emma Morris at Campbell Marsh Communications on 01926 864044 or e-mail piers@campbellmarsh.com / emma@campbellmarsh.com

Kevin Eastwood at BOSS on 01926 864757 or e-mail kevine@bossuk.org 

Website : www.bossuk.org


THE FIGHT AGAINST FORECOURT CRIME CONTINUES