DCBL and VARS Technology join forces to combat fuel crime

Research conducted by the British Oil Security Syndicate shows that drive-offs rose from 7.6% of crimes per site in 2020 to 28.4% in 2024, with the highest levels reported in London.

VARS Technology provides advanced technology designed to detect and prevent fuel drive-offs through ANPR systems, which instantly alert forecourt staff when a vehicle linked to previous drive-offs or no-means-of-payment incidents enters the site. The company maintains a national list of more than 72,000 vehicles, shared across a growing network of over 1,300 forecourts, in turn helping retailers take proactive steps to reduce theft.

The company also provides facial recognition technology to identify repeat offenders, manages parking and EV charging bay misuse and recovers losses quickly with proven debt recovery processes.

In 2024 alone, VARS Technology handled more than 85,000 incidents of fuel theft or non-payment, recovering over £2.8 million for operators.

The renewal of its partnership with DCBL ensures that VARS Technology’s clients will receive not only cutting-edge prevention tools, but also responsible, transparent and effective debt resolution when incidents occur.

Strategic decision 

John Garnett, director at VARS Technology Ltd, said: “Renewing our contract with DCBL as our exclusive provider was a strategic decision, underpinned not only by performance, but also by shared values. Its people are an extension of our team – professional, compassionate and aligned with our standards.”

Garnett added: “DCBL’s ability to innovate while remaining customer-focused means the business is raising the bar for responsible debt resolution. They’re not just a supplier. They’re a partner that protects our brand and supports our values.”

Lee Samuels-Camozzi, Group strategy director at DCBL, commented: “We’re thrilled to renew our partnership with VARS Technology as the company’s exclusive provider. This partnership demonstrates that DCBL is about more than parking debt resolution. Fuel theft is a growing challenge and VARS Technology’s innovations are giving forecourt management teams the ability to prevent incidents before they happen. We’re proud to complement that with our ethical and effective recovery services.”

Samuels-Camozzi added: “At DCBL, we invest continually in our people, processes and technology to set the standard for responsible debt resolution. VARS Technology is more than a client. It’s a trusted partner that shares our values of integrity, professionalism and care.”

DCBL is a leading participant across numerous industries including the parking industry and strives to maintain and improve standards across the sectors in which it operates.