Today the Queensland Police Service (QPS) has launched a one-month SMS and email trial targeting vehicles involved in a suspected fuel drive-off.
The message will prompt owners of vehicles involved in fuel drive-offs to return to the station to pay for the fuel which will reduce the need for Police intervention.
The QPS will identify itself in messages issued, which will also contain the registration number of the vehicle involved, the date and time of the incident and a prompt to contact the service station. Text messages will not include attachments or hyperlinks.
The message will give owners of vehicles involved in fuel drive-offs the benefit of the doubt by asking them to return to the fuel station to resolve the matter.
Acting Superintendent Sharee Cumming, Organisational Capability Command, said people leaving service stations and failing to pay for fuel was a significant concern for the QPS.
“Driving off without paying for fuel is a criminal offence,” Acting Superintendent Cumming said.
“This can happen for various reasons including being distracted at the pump and then forgetting to pay before driving away.
“The trial is designed to encourage people involved in a fuel-drive off, either inadvertently or on purpose, to pay for their fuel which will reduce the need of our frontline officers to commence investigations, into these type of matters, in the first instance.”
This trial is a crime prevention and public awareness initiative designed to meet the Service’s vision of delivering safe and secure communities through collaboration, innovation and best practise.
For more information about this trial click here.
If you have information for police, contact Policelink on 131 444 or provide information using the online form 24hrs per day.
You can report information about crime anonymously to Crime Stoppers, a registered charity and community volunteer organisation, by calling 1800 333 000 or via crimestoppersqld.com.au 24hrs per day.
