Northside suburbs top petrol theft hotspots, but numbers fall again

Northside suburbs have been the worst hit by petrol theft this year, but reported incidents across the city would still be down for the third year in a row on current trends.

Ginn Street in Gungahlin has been hardest hit, with 56 thefts to the end of August, already a third more than last year. The tiny street services Gundaroo Drive traffic and is home to Caltex Woolworths and Coles Express petrol stations.

Station Sergeant Adrian Craft, the officer in charge of ministerial policy and performance, said Project Safe Plate was one police initiative designed to reduce number plate theft and follow-up offences such as petrol drive offs.

"Since 2013, Project Safe Plate has resulted in ACT Policing officers fitting 4657 cars with tamper proof screws, [which] are also available for the community to collect at every police station," he said.

"ACT Policing believes that the incorporation of proactive measures undertaken by petrol station operators in recent years has also contributed to this decrease."

There were 1237 reported fuel thefts last year, a 4 per cent decline from 2014 and 14 per cent down from 2013. There have been 688 thefts reported this year, which would deliver an end of year result of little more than 1000 if the monthly average continued.

Luxton Street in Belconnen, with 86 thefts, was the worst hit last year and has had 52 so far in 2016. A Woolworths Caltex petrol station is the only one on the street. Northside streets account for the four worst for thefts this year, with three in the Belconnen region.

Station Sergeant Craft said service station operators could assist the reduction in fuel theft by introducing prepaid fuel pumps or at least requiring "suspicious" people to enter the shop before a petrol pump is turned on, aiding identification.

High-quality CCTV camera coverage, including of the driveway, was also encouraged.

Suspicious signs that may indicate someone was planning to drive off without paying included cars without number plates or altered or poorly fixed plates, and cars where the engine is kept running or the driver remains in the driver seat while the passenger fills the tank, he said.

The Service Station Association has said drive-offs hurt business owners and honest consumers, costing the industry $55 million nationally last year.