DCBL has signed an exclusive three-year partnership with VARS Technology to fight fuel theft.

The partnership combines VARS’ prevention systems with DCBL’s ethical, people-first recovery services to help retailers combat fuel crime, which has reportedly surged in recent years.

British Oil Security Syndicate

Research from the British Oil Security Syndicate reportedly 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 reportedly provides advanced technology designed to detect and prevent fuel drive-offs through automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) systems, which instantly alert forecourt staff when a vehicle linked to previous drive-offs or no-means-of-payment incidents enters the site.

Reducing theft

The company has reported that it maintains a national blacklist of more than 72,000 vehicles, shared across a growing network of over 1,300 forecourts, helping retailers take proactive steps to reduce theft.

The company also stated that it 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 reportedly 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 will reportedly ensure that VARS Technology’s clients will receive not only cutting-edge prevention tools but also responsible, transparent, and effective debt resolution when incidents occur.

“A strategic decision”

John Garnett, Director, VARS Technology Ltd said: “Renewing our contract with DCBL as our exclusive provider was a strategic decision, underpinned not only by performance but by shared values.

“Their people are an extension of our team – professional, compassionate and aligned with our standards.

“DCBL’s ability to innovate while remaining customer-focused means they’re 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.”

“Fuel theft is a growing challenge”

Lee Samuels-Camozzi, Group Strategy Director, DCBL added: “We are thrilled to renew our partnership with VARS Technology as their 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 forecourts the ability to prevent incidents before they happen.

“We’re proud to complement that with our ethical and effective recovery services.

“At DCBL, we invest continually in our people, processes, and technology to set the standard for responsible debt resolution.

“VARS is more than a client, it is a trusted partner who shares our values of integrity, professionalism and care.”