11th February 2002
Police and petrol retailers join forces to tackle crime
Police and petrol retailers must work closer together if the problem of forecourt crime is to be tackled effectively.

This was the message that emerged from a major conference on forecourt crime.

"Forecourt Crime: Managing the Problem", was attended by over 350 petrol retailers and police from 12 forces. They heard how Thames Valley Police in partnership with the British Oil Security Syndicate (BOSS) is taking the lead in controlling forecourt crime.

Tom Sterling, BOSS Regional Co-ordinator for the south east said: "The number of people who attended the conference shows just how frustrated petrol retailers are at being the victims of crime. With the wide variety of merchandise now on sale, service stations have become an important community facility, and we will continue to work with police forces across the UK to make them safer places for staff and customers.

“Almost inevitably those committing forecourt crime are involved in crime elsewhere. As well as sharing information on ways to reduce crime we wanted to demonstrate the importance of the Thames Valley Police initiatives."

Sara Thornton, Assistant Chief Constable of Thames Valley Police, added: "We have to make it easier for people to be honest and make crime more difficult to commit.

"We have to work with petrol retailers to reduce forecourt crime and try to be more proactive - that is the challenge."

Petrol retailers were given a 'tool box' of strategies from which they could take the ideas best suited to their own specific circumstances and forecourts.

The one day conference, sponsored by Arciris and Neurodynamics, was held at the Metropolitan Police Service Training School, Hendon, at the end of January.

Formed in 1991 by the oil industry BOSS is steered and funded by the leading petroleum companies. BP, Esso, Jet, Q8, Shell, ChevronTexaco and TotalFinaElf are members. It is supported by the Petrol Retailers Association (PRA), the United Kingdom Petroleum Industry Association (UKPIA) and the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO).

The aim of the organisation is to reduce the amount of crime taking place on Britain's service stations. Working closely with police and petrol retailers, BOSS is responsible for the Forecourt Watch initiative which operates in over 40 areas across the UK. It has seen a substantial reduction in forecourt crime where these partnership schemes are in place.

Following the success of the conference Tom Sterling added: "The enthusiasm shown at this conference will be taken forward with further BOSS seminars where we will look at other security issues relating to health and safety and credit card fraud."

For further information:
Tom Sterling Detective Inspector Steve Avil
BOSS Thames Valley Police
Tel: 0208 325 0232 Tel: 01865 846593

Peter Harding Richard Allen-Miles
Arciris Neurodynamics
Tel: 01392 445325 Tel: 01223 488540
Issued by: Broad Communication Consultants
Tel: 01509 843308
Ref: BS 1/2002