Drivers risking £5,000 fines as ‘bilking’ at petrol stations surges
Drivers could be jailed for six months and fined up to £5,000 for this common petrol station mistake.
Petrol and diesel drivers are risking £5,000 fines and even jail time for ‘bilking’ at petrol stations. This is the name given to filling up with petrol and then zooming off without paying. And new figures released by fuel theft recovery company Pay My Fuel have revealed that drive-off fuel theft has increased by 62% year-on-year.
Data seen by the BBC shows the average weekly rate of drive-offs per forecourt increased from 2.1 in March 2025 to 3.4 in the same month this year. The business, which provides a service to 1,400 forecourts, said the average value of fuel stolen per incident rose by 46% over the same period. Since the war in the Middle East began on February 28, the cost of filling a typical 55-litre family car with fuel has risen by £14 for petrol and £27 for diesel. Right now, petrol is 157.47p per litre and diesel is 190.13p per litre.
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Bilking – also known as drive offs – involve someone refuelling with no intention of paying, and then leaving.
One forecourt owner reported that the issue is costing him £2,000 per week across five locations.
Ian Wolfenden, director of Pay My Fuel, told the BBC that drive-offs have become “a lot worse”.
He said: “An average drive-off for one of our customers used to be £56, and now it’s gone up to £67.
“So if you consider they’re losing nearly £70 every two days, it’s not insignificant.”
Steve Gooding, director of motoring research charity the RAC Foundation, said: “Sky-high pump prices might be tempting some to skip the forecourt without paying for their fuel, but this is theft, pure and simple.
“The last thing motorists need right now is for fuel prices to be nudged up still further by the thoughtless and selfish actions of these forecourt thieves.
“The key to preventing these thefts is to ensure those tempted to refuel without paying feel there is a real threat of being caught and punished, knowing that they will be recorded on camera surveillance systems and pursued by the police if they still choose to drive away.”
According to Motoring Research, stealing petrol with intent to steal it is an offence under The Theft Act 1978.
The offence of Making Off Without Payment (MOWP) is outlined in section three of the Act.
The Theft Act 1978 states: ‘A person who, knowing that payment on the spot for any goods supplied or service done is required or expected from him, dishonestly makes off without having paid as required or expected, and with intent to avoid payment of the amount due, shall be guilty of an offence.’
In serious cases, a person found guilty of Making Off Without Payment could face a maximum of two years in prison and an unlimited fine. Defendants convicted in a Magistrates’ Court can be fined up to £5,000 and/or jailed for up to six months.
But, police may not investigate unless there is proof of criminal intent. If petrol station staff believe the act of making off without payment was unintentional or accidental, they are advised to contact the DVLA. The retailer can then seek to recoup the losses using the details of the car’s registered keeper, says Motoring Research.
