'Decent enough people' stealing fuel from Mayo forecourts

'Decent enough people' are filling their cars with petrol and diesel and purposely leaving without paying for it and getting away with it, according to a Mayo councillor.

Independent councillor John O'Malley told the monthly meeting of Mayo County Council yesterday that the number of people not paying for diesel or petrol is rising and claimed that the majority doing it are not absent minded and know what they are doing.

The Carrowholly-based councillor said that he only became aware of the scale of the problem in recent weeks but understands thousands of Euro is being lost.

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“People are coming in and it's not people in and out of prison but decent enough people,” he told the meeting.

“The other day a woman came in and put €70 worth of diesel in her car and bought a pack of biscuits and walked out and got in her car and drove off. Another car came in and covered their number plate and got €70 worth of fuel but she wasn't smart enough and the camera picked up through the cover and they got the number.

Awful problem

“I didn't know there were such people around us that were so crooked that they would have the audacity to come into a filling station and fill up and drive off. It is happening all the time and I was told the same thing was happening in Claremorris. It is happening in Westport alright in a number of stations so I am sure it is happening around the county and that is an awful problem.”

Cllr O'Malley said it is difficult for retailers to stay in business without people taking fuel without paying and believes that the full rigours of the law should be applied in these cases.

“I think when the guards get those people it is not good enough just to bring them back and make them pay, they should be charged and brought to court for stealing. They know bloody well what they are doing.

“The very odd time someone might forget they got petrol or diesel and drive off but it is a very odd time. Most people would say 'oh we never thought of it', they bloody well thought of it and they should never get away with just saying they will pay for it now. They should be charged and fined and the guards should have the power to bring them to court. If they do it the second time or the third time it should be jail.”

In 2023, the Irish Petrol Retailers Association (IPRA) claimed that such thefts at petrol stations are on the increase due to the cost-of-living crisis and consumers ‘taking a chance’ that the retailer will not follow up and press charges.

New laws demanded

The IPRA claimed that according to a straw poll of its members, retailers are losing on average €2,500 due to drive-offs and demanded new laws to chase debts from forecourts across the country.

The manager of one forecourt in Westport, who did not wish to be named, agreed that there is an issue with people not paying for their fuel and their drive-off account for the year is around €2,000.

While saying the majority of people don’t do it on purpose, the manager acknowledged that there are incidents where people cover their licence plate and trying to recover the money can be difficult even when the gardaí are notified.

“One gentleman pulled in at ten past seven in the morning and had his number plate cellotapped so we could not get the reg. If they are English or Northern Irish regs that pull in and do it, which they do deliberately, that money is gone because they cannot be traced.

“In general the majority of people are those who come in and start chatting and forget about the fuel. Our protocol is to ring the guards and sometimes they cannot get them. It is an issue but it is the same with other stations and we all have the same problems,” the manager said.

Cllr O'Malley also told the meeting that he expects American style pumps to be introduced where the fuel will be paid for before the fuel is dispensed into the vehicle.

“That is what you do in America and this is the only answer to this auld thing. When it comes in, I don't want to hear anyone say this is a nuisance. We are going to have to support it when it comes and it will come. It is hard enough to stay in business and for people to drive off with free diesel and petrol is not good enough.”