UK fuel retailers turn to tech partnership as fuel theft surges
Published on: Sep 16, 2025
VARS operates automatic number plate recognition systems that alert staff when vehicles linked to previous thefts enter a forecourt.
Debt recovery firm DCBL and forecourt security specialist VARS Technology have renewed their exclusive partnership for three years in response to rising levels of fuel theft.
According to the British Oil Security Syndicate, drive-offs now account for 28.4% of recorded crimes per site, up from 7.6% in 2020, with London the worst affected.
VARS operates automatic number plate recognition systems that alert staff when vehicles linked to previous thefts enter a forecourt, drawing on a blacklist of more than 72,000 vehicles shared across 1,300 sites. The company also uses facial recognition and parking enforcement tools, reporting 85,000 incidents handled last year and £2.8 million recovered.
DCBL, which has sought to promote a more “ethical” approach to debt recovery, provides follow-up services when prevention fails. The companies argue that combining prevention technology with transparent recovery offers retailers a full chain of protection against losses.
