AACS COMMENDS SMALL VICTORY IN LONG TERM WAR ON PETROL CRIMES

MEDIA RELEASE
July 16 2014
The Australasian Association of Convenience Stores (AACS) has applauded police efforts in apprehending petrol thieves in a stolen car in Werribee overnight. However it represents only a minor victory in the context of a major petrol theft crime wave, according to AACS CEO Jeff Rogut.
Petrol theft is a crime which costs the industry $45 million annually on a national basis, with petrol crimes particularly prevalent in Victoria.
Despite this, both Victoria Police and the Victorian Government are loath to address the issue seriously, Mr Rogut said.
“It is welcome news whenever a criminal is arrested for stealing petrol. However, without tougher penalties and the necessary deterrents, these one-off arrests won’t have a lasting positive impact on this crime,” Mr Rogut said.
“The AACS has attempted to engage police and the Government on this significant issue for years, yet petrol theft continues to spiral.
“We have received no correspondence from Victoria Police on this issue for months. The Police Minister still refuses to discuss the matter. There is a reticence to even attempt to understand the real concerns of service station retailers.
“The sooner Victoria Police begins to take petrol theft more seriously and commits to working with the operators who report these crimes, the better. Investigating only those thefts involving a stolen number plate misses the majority of incidences.
“As reflected in the charges laid against those caught in Werribee, petrol theft is a crime typically associated with dangerous driving and reckless behaviour which can put the safety of the general public at risk, both on the service station forecourt and in surrounding streets,” he said.
The AACS is calling on the support of the Victorian Government to elevate this issue in line with the serious impacts it has, both on the retailers who suffer losses and the public whose safety is endangered.
Some inroads were made in 2013, including a forum with retailers and Victoria Police, however the response to petrol theft remains inadequate while the incidence of this crime increases. Heavy fines and loss of license demerit points have been tabled by the AACS as potential coercions.
The AACS is urging small businesses to seek support from Opposition members in this election year to draw genuine attention to this serious crime.
As it stands, AACS members in Victoria are being forced to pursue petrol thieves via civil actions themselves – which is hardly the job of retailers and undermines the criminal nature of petrol theft.
Further information:
Jeff Rogut Naylor
Chief Executive Officer
Australasian Association of Convenience Stores
Media enquiries:
Stephen
Wise McBaron Communication
Ph: (02) 9279 4770