Petrol prepay

The reason that the Police 'aren't interested' is because, technically, a drive off is a civil matter. Petrol Stations are one of the only places where you get goods before you pay for them and so unless you can prove the intent of deliberately not paying...ie forgot to pay..mind was on other things...cashier forgot to put it on the card....then it's a very difficult issue.

Garages are well within their rights to ask for payment before dispensing fuel..Would you put your shopping in the car and then return to pay for it at a checkout?? Would you watch a film in the cinema and then pay for it afterwards????

The only problems Police have with technical Civil matters tend to revolve around Taxi's, restaurants and petrol stations.....can you see the connection between all of them? Yep, you've guessed it...all of the provide a service before payment is provided....

I personally have no problem with payment before delivery of goods.....after all most other services require it!!

georgiasmum wrote:

My concern was really the security of the card not the prepay business. I thought they would have the technological advances to stop the pump dispensing more than a certain amount.

I've not worked at a petrol station for nearly 10 years so things may have changed, but back then we had the ability to stop fuel dispensing, but at what limit do you stop the fuel? I have an average car that cost £45 to fill. If I filled my car up and drove off without paying then that £45 would probably end up being taken out of the cashiers wages, that'd be about a full days pay. So, if after a certain time at night, when most of the drive offs occurred when I worked, I think it's fair to ask for a CC as security. This is just the same as giving a waiter your CC at a restaurant, although maybe the alcohol consumed during the meal might seem the waiter more trustworthy . You may not like giving the cashier your CC, you have a choice.