22 June 2001
New Forecourt Crime Prevention Scheme Goes Live

Norfolk Constabulary has teamed up with the British Oil Security Syndicate (BOSS) in a new crime prevention initiative aimed at reducing the amount of crime taking place on service stations.

Broadland Forecourt Watch is the first scheme of its kind to be introduced to Norfolk and will be officially launched at the TOTAL's Broadland Service Station on Yarmouth Road, Witton, Norwich.

The scheme - involving all 12 petrol forecourts in the Broadland area - will particularly target drive-offs (people driving away without paying for their petrol), which have been increasing during the past few years.

About 1,120 drive-offs are reported in Norfolk annually, accounting for approximately £28,000 of lost business every year.

Using a 'Ringmaster' communications system, Forecourt Watch will provide local retailers with an early warning of any crimes being committed on petrol forecourts in the area, together with details of suspects and their vehicles.

TOTAL's Broadland Service station played a significant role during the scheme's trial period. As a result of TOTAL staff contacting the police with details of a motorist who drove off without paying, the offender was arrested not only for drive-off offences but also for a series of other more serious crimes.

Inspector Keith Pellegrini of Norfolk Constabulary, said: "Clearly the majority of drive-off offenders do not commit this crime exclusively. Recent arrests initiated by Forecourt Watch have resulted in arrests of offenders for burglaries both locally and 45 miles away at Kings Lynn, which is the other side of the county.

This scheme will expand and will help police, and in turn the community fight against crime."

Bruce Nichol, BOSS Regional Co-ordinator for East Anglia added: "It's not only in the cities where forecourt crime is becoming a problem but also in the rural areas of East Anglia. We believe that by helping the police to solve forecourt crime we can also assist them in solving a number of other more serious crimes. Criminals will always need a car and fuel to commit crime - forecourt crime is therefore the tip of a much larger crime iceberg."

There are plans for the scheme to be extended across Norfolk.

A BOSS crime survey revealed that crimes committed on Britain's petrol forecourts are costing the oil industry more than £47 million each year. According to the survey the most common and costly crime is credit card fraud which accounts for losses of more than £12 million each year. Motorists driving off without paying for their fuel cost the industry over £11 million.

BOSS was formed in 1991 by the oil industry and is supported by the Petrol Retailers Association (PRA), Home Office Crime Prevention College and the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO). BP, Esso, Jet, Q8, Shell, ChevronTexaco and TotalFinaElf are all member companies. The aim of the organisation is to reduce the amount of crime taking place on Britain's petrol forecourts.

For further information, please contact:
Bruce Nichol
BOSS
Tel: 01926 859572

Nina Terry/Peter Steward
Norfolk Constabulary press office
Tel: 01603 768769

Issued by:
Broad Communication Consultants
Tel: 01509 843308
Ref: BS 4/2001