Earlier this year it was reported that violent and abusive incidents against shop workers rose by 50% in 2022-23.
Figures also suggest 90% of retail staff have experienced abuse at some point in their career. Such alarming figures are mirrored in the fuel forecourt sector.
As forecourt operators harness new tech to combat crime, Alan Stephenson-Brown, CEO at Evolve Business Group, looks at the latest developments and the key role of connectivity.
It was encouraging to read recent news that assaulting a shop worker will be made a separate criminal offence in England and Wales as part of a government response to a wave of retail crime, which includes fuel forecourts. In this sector, the problem of abuse is particularly unpredictable, with incidents of abuse tending to fluctuate in line with petrol price rises.
In addition to incidents of violent crime and shoplifting, fuel filling stations are facing a surge in numbers of drivers failing to pay for the petrol and diesel they’ve pumped.
Data by the DVLA shows that in the third quarter of 2023, there were 39,563 requests for the names and addresses of vehicle keepers believed to be guilty of fuel theft, representing a 77% rise compared to the same period the previous year. We also know from recent BOSS analysis that forecourt crime is costing fuel retailers around £60 million every year in lost revenue. The technology exists to deter forecourt crime, and harnessing it has never been more important.
Leveraging next-generation technology
Developments in CCTV mean it’s now capable of more than simply recording images. Not only do modern surveillance systems allow forecourt operators to access them 24/7 in real time from any device, but commercial CCTV cameras can also feature Artificial Intelligence (AI) facial recognition. They capture real-time images of faces to quickly identify individuals and can instantly identify a face that appears more than once in the captured video footage when played back. CCTV Facial Recognition cameras are ideal for busy retail environments such as fuel forecourts.
But forecourt staff face more than just the risk of drivers stealing fuel. In fact, ‘drive off’ from the pump incidents make up just 13% of all fuel crime, with verbal or even physical abuse an increasing problem – as evidenced by the fact BP staff are now wearing body cameras in stores to help keep them safe.
This issue has been exacerbated as more forecourts are operating a 24/7 service to keep pace with consumer demand. Staffing these sites is a challenge, especially overnight when it is compulsory for employers to provide lone worker protection.
One solution is pay at the pump facilities that leave the sites unmanned at night time. Unmanned stations are a practical solution for many fuel retailers but come with their own set of challenges. The absence of human supervision raises the likelihood of fuel spills, theft and vandalism. Again, the installation of CCTV monitoring systems is vital as it allows for remote observation and can alert owners or their maintenance providers to any unusual activity.
CCTV best practices
When installing CCTV systems, fuel forecourt operators should ensure:
• There is good lighting to ensure clear images and avoid interference.
• Cameras are covering points of sale, the front door and pumps.
• The CCTV footage is recorded in a format that courts can view
• The camera’s blind spots are minimised.
• It is close to an active power source.
Combining CCTV with automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) provides fuel forecourts with a robust and intelligent security system, but inadequate connectivity can render them useless. Ensuring connectivity is sufficient to support CCTV and other monitoring equipment is a step all too often overlooked when thinking about a security strategy.
Obviously a stable and fast internet connection is needed for real-time monitoring and remote access of the CCTV feed, but because many CCTV systems now use cloud-based storage solutions to store footage, a reliable internet connection is also needed to ensure seamless uploading of footage to the cloud, preventing any loss of crucial data.
Furthermore, in modern security setups, CCTV systems are often integrated with other security systems such as alarms, access control systems, and analytics software. Good connectivity facilitates smooth communication between these different systems, enhancing overall security effectiveness.
Finally, high-definition cameras used to capture detailed footage require significant bandwidth for transmission. Good connectivity ensures such high-quality footage can be transmitted without lag or degradation in quality.
We’ve been working closely with the fuel forecourt sector for many years and understand that one of the most critical aspects for success is network solutions. Fully managed network solutions, including WAN, connectivity, and guest Wi-Fi, are essential for businesses in this sector to operate efficiently and deliver a seamless experience to their customers.
But increasingly, it’s critical for the safety of staff and safeguarding of revenue and should play a pivotal role in forecourt security planning.
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