Increasing fuel fraud due to high gasoline prices at German gas stations

Many drivers are currently annoyed by the high prices at the pump - perhaps so much so that they are increasingly driving away from gas stations without paying. There are no reliable figures yet; police crime statistics showed a 23.5 percent decline in cases of fuel fraud last year, but now there could be a trend reversal.

In any case, according to the “Bild-Zeitung”, the gas station interest group complained about an increase in these crimes. »As soon as prices go towards 2.40 euros, the inhibition threshold for crime drops. Then some people simply drive away without paying,” the paper quoted an association spokesman as saying.

Individual gas pumps blocked

Young and older people in particular are more likely to be willing to do this - even though most gas stations are under video surveillance. When asked by the newspaper, the gas station operator “Westfalen” also confirmed a slight increase in the past two to three weeks. According to the spokesman for the interest group, there are professionals at work with stolen or pasted-over license plates, but there are also people who have simply forgotten to pay.

In an interview with the broadcaster Sat.1, the station manager of a gas station in Kiel estimates that the willingness to commit fuel fraud is particularly high at night. The darkness often encourages drivers to simply drive away because they don't feel like they're being watched. His gas station has already reacted and closed individual gas pumps between 8 p.m. and five p.m. This means that drivers are forced to fill up directly in front of the sales area or in full view of the surveillance cameras.

Tomorrow, October 1st, the federal government's new fuel discount will come into force, which is intended to provide financial relief for drivers. Prices recently climbed to new highs as a result of the escalation in the Middle East. It is unclear to what extent the discount of around 17 cents including VAT will be passed on to consumers and whether the lower prices will also lead to less fuel fraud.