Lourens ‘t Hart of SODA tells the NOS that it is ‘no increase in crime, but of impotence† According to him, people want to pay, but they can’t.
At the beginning of this year, he counted about 300 drivers in an average week, now 350 to 370 people drive on without paying after a refueling.
Fine 131 euros
According to ‘t Hart, the increase is not yet reflected in official police figures because gas station owners often wait a while with the reports. He expects the increase to continue due to persistently high prices at the pump.
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Theft of petrol or diesel is subject to a fine of 131 euros. In addition, people who are identified also have to pay for the fuel themselves.
Increase ‘knockers’
Gas stations also report that they are more often bothered by so-called ‘knockers’: people who start knocking on all their jacket and trouser pockets at the checkout and then report that they have forgotten their wallet. They don’t always come back to pay, even if they’ve left their passport behind.
The damage per case is higher as the margins for gas stations have decreased in recent weeks.
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