[dar3dev|l]

Date: 2011-05-12
Place: Mumbai

Racket emerges in SoBo, where drivers of businessmen, executives sell fuel from luxury cars at half the market price which, in turn, is sold cheap to buyers
Businessmen and executives in SoBo, particularly Ballard Pier, better not be casual with their cars, especially if chauffeur-driven, because schemers are hankering to make a quick buck by pilfering petrol and diesel from vehicles. And complicit in the fraud are chauffeurs of car owners, while the latter sit oblivious in their offices.

Even as law-breakers sack up on the pilferage, the law-enforcers themselves have not been able to resist the lure of saving up on fuel costs. And why not? The selling price of stolen petrol is Rs 25 per litre, which is almost 50 per cent of the market price, it is then sold to buyers at the rate of Rs 30 per litre.

Policemen on motorcycles sporting police stickers getting a tank full from a certain stationary vehicle is a sight not missed by many, said a source. One such vehicle is operated by a person identified as Irshadbhai, a source said. Majority of the policemen who buy petrol from the racketeers are either attached to the MRA Marg police station or the Protection Branch, which is barely 50m from the point where the fuel is sold.

Investigations by MiD DAY revealed that the fuel racket starts around 10 am, when most businessmen are at work. Their drivers slip out of the office compound or parking lot with the vehicle and head towards a decrepit van parked on Kumpta Road in Ballard Estate. This vehicle has an incorrect number plate and flat tyres.

Petrol is then siphoned out of the swanky luxurious cars and filled into plastic cans. On an average at least 50 cars and two-wheelers visit the area to sell or buy petrol, eyewitnesses said. An executive, who has an office in the area, told this reporter that the driver has to be introduced to the racketeer before he can sell or buy petrol. "Outsiders are not encouraged. The standard reply is we have stopped business," said the executive, who had caught his driver selling fuel red-handed last month.

MiD DAY used a decoy to buy petrol recently. The operator said he did not have stock as no cars had come in that day. Eyewitnesses said sedans and heavy vehicles with large fuel capacities like Mercedes, Audi and BMW bring in a windfall to the drivers and racketeer too. It is difficult to detect the loss if the quantity in the tank is huge.

Smooth siphoning
Once the vehicle moves in to discharge the fuel, the bonnet of the car is opened immediately and the reverse petrol pipe of the engine is disconnected. It is soon attached to the racketeer's own pipe with the other end forced into a can. The driver is asked to start the engine and in less than two minutes, more than 20 litres is siphoned off into the plastic cans.

Raid imminent
Senior Inspector Padmakar Juhikar attached to MRA Marg police station, under whose jurisdiction the theft is taking place, when informed about the racket told this reporter he would soon raid the place. "Thanks for the input. Inspector Deshmukh will raid the place with immediate effect," said Juhikar.

Source: Rising prices fuel petrol, diesel theft



The above has really started arising questions in my mind as to how many of us or our elderly (father, uncle, etc) actually keep a eye on the amount of fuel used by our cars against the distance we travel ? It also is question now as to are chauffeurs today to be trusted up on for not cheating their owners ? And finally other than keeping a track on the amount we traveled against the FE of the car, is there any better way to avoid such thefts ??

[Born 2 Be Wild]

I Run a Bunk and 95% of The Drivers and Chauffers are thieves some do it inspite of the Owners sitting in the vehicle while refuelling itself . But then Thats a Small price they pay to sit High and Mighty in their cars. An honest driver is a rarity in today's world. Most owners know whats happening but chose to ignore as looking for new employees is pretty tough!!!

[akshay4587]

Forget Chauffers,i stay in a cantonment.
I have seen Armed Forces Helpers,and Dispatch riders Selling Petrol\Diesel in open market at half rates.

[Spitfire]

Originally Posted by akshay4587

I have seen Armed Forces Helpers,and Dispatch riders Selling Petrol\Diesel in open market at half rates.

+1.

We used to see a line of Jonga's coming in to almost empty their tanks in a shady scrap dealers yard in Goa.

[mayankk]

I saw this happening first hand in gurgaon too, while i was getting my brakes fixed.
7 2L bottles of fizzy were filled from under the hood a current gen accord.
I dont think this owner would recommend honda to his pals.
"Yaar average bahut hi kharab hai!!!"

[benzinblut]

I remember having read about this a few years ago. The location however was Dharavi.

Most of the drivers and chauffeurs do this everywhere: government departments, taxis/cabs, private vehicles, etc. They think that stealing the fuel from the car they drive is their birthright. The vehicle owner or the head of the department of government office don't have any control whatsoever. They are at the mercy of these drivers.

[GTO]

Drivers are known to fill lesser fuel in the car, than the petrol pump's bill would indicate...the roque practice has been around for ages. But I am shocked on the seemingly organised theft taking place at Ballard Estate!!

Best way to prevent theft is to calculate the fuel-efficiency of your chauffeur-driven car. There is no way that 10 - 20 liters of fuel can go unaccounted for.

[Arkin evoisrevo]

Originally Posted by Born 2 Be Wild

An honest driver is a rarity in today's world. Most owners know whats happening but chose to ignore as looking for new employees is pretty tough!!!

We've had more than a dozen drivers/chauffeurs, and 4-5 out of them (including the present one) who are OVERTLY honest. A couple were "dishonest" and the rest, just ok ok.
Right from the driver dad had 10 years ago in Chennai, who voluntarily stayed slept on the floor of the hospital my dad was once admitted to, to our present driver, who is more a friend, rather than a driver, to me.

Originally Posted by akshay4587

Forget Chauffers,i stay in a cantonment.
I have seen Armed Forces Helpers,and Dispatch riders Selling Petrol\Diesel in open market at half rates.

Originally Posted by Spitfire

+1.

We used to see a line of Jonga's coming in to almost empty their tanks in a shady scrap dealers yard in Goa.

My grandfather (Rtd. corp. commissioner) had come across such incidences of fuel being siphoned off by the Municipality trucks, tankers, jeeps etc. and got the offenders dealt with. But that was back in the 70's to early 90's. I don't think this is really possible now.

Originally Posted by J.Ravi

Most of the drivers and chauffeurs do this everywhere: government departments, taxis/cabs, private vehicles, etc. They think that stealing the fuel from the car they drive is their birthright. The vehicle owner or the head of the department of government office don't have any control whatsoever. They are at the mercy of these drivers.

Sorry uncle, but you are mistaken.My dad's government cars/ taxis - leased to govt. have never been the victim of such misuse. He's had more than a dozen cars, besides. Of course, a couple of times, a govt. driver went missing all of a sudden leaving the car locked, kept turning up late, or even refusing to turn up! In this last scenario I've mentioned, one govt. driver was nearly suspended by my dad.

But the same can't be said in the case of PWD and engineering departments, where vehicles are functional, and not for mere pick-up & drop/safety.
However, the HODs have every right to suspend / transfer an offender.
Heck, I know of many incidences wherein the salaries of teachers, drivers, workers etc. were not paid for months together!

Originally Posted by GTO

Best way to prevent theft is to calculate the fuel-efficiency of your chauffeur-driven car. There is no way that 10 - 20 liters of fuel can go unaccounted for.

But I think it might be easy to get away for some, as many/most "luxury" cars have FE figures south of 10.

[moralfibre]

Originally Posted by GTO

Drivers are known to fill lesser fuel in the car, than the petrol pump's bill would indicate...the roque practice has been around for ages. But I am shocked on the seemingly organised theft taking place at Ballard Estate!!

Reminds me of an incident when a customer walked into a dealership claiming her car was returning a very poor FE of 6 kmpl. The service advisor carried out all tests and assured her that the car gives anywhere between 10-12 kmpl. She refused to budge and produced bills. To the horror of the service advisor, her driver would fill 70 liters in a 45 liter tank at every fill.

[rohan_iitr]

Originally Posted by GTO

Best way to prevent theft is to calculate the fuel-efficiency of your chauffeur-driven car. There is no way that 10 - 20 liters of fuel can go unaccounted for.

The driver can always get the odometer reading tampered so as to indicate proper FE inspite of fuel theft. Not a fool proof approach.

Why can't the owners lock the car on reaching the office and keep the car keys with themselves ? Or is it a part of the driver's job description to sleep inside the car and enjoy the ICE and AC while the owner is away ?

Rohan

[mayankk]

Originally Posted by rohan_iitr

The driver can always get the odometer reading tampered so as to indicate proper FE inspite of fuel theft. Not a fool proof approach.

Why can't the owners lock the car on reaching the office and keep the car keys with themselves ? Or is it a part of the driver's job description to sleep inside the car and enjoy the ICE and AC while the owner is away ?

Rohan

on a digital odo?
Everytime you tank up?
Geez, the driver will be spending more than he'll ever make from the pilfering!!!
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/techni...-odometer.html


and so far, nor have i done this, neither have i seen one person with a driver who has locked the car and taken the keys away.

Originally Posted by Arkin evoisrevo

Sorry uncle, but you are mistaken.

I am not mistaken, and hence, you don't have to feel sorry about that. I shared my experience and practice going on in my former employer [PSU]. If any honest officer/engineer tries to take action against the erring driver, he won't get his vehicle for his work the next day, which will have cascading after effects.

[gsb350]

This is best one filling 70 Liters in a 45 liter Tank. Some people have no Idea of the spec of car they have.

Originally Posted by moralfibre

Reminds me of an incident when a customer walked into a dealership claiming her car was returning a very poor FE of 6 kmpl. The service advisor carried out all tests and assured her that the car gives anywhere between 10-12 kmpl. She refused to budge and produced bills. To the horror of the service advisor, her driver would fill 70 liters in a 45 liter tank at every fill.

[Arkin evoisrevo]

Originally Posted by J.Ravi

If any honest officer/engineer tries to take action against the erring driver, he won't get his vehicle for his work the next day, which will have cascading after effects.

Now, if that was the case, that would've been yet another reason why we don't prefer an "office car".

But no it isn't. My grandfather, having served as a municipal / corporation commissioner for 30+ years, has never felt cascading after effects, even after taking reckless action against offenders. Even if people did tried to retaliate, he was never cowed down, not even by the then CM of AP.

Sorry for going here people, but I'm pretty sure, that if one "stands up against" what is wrong, be it corruption, theft etc., the country would really progress.

Honesty is also the temperment have the guts to stand up against corruption and anarchy, not just stand and watch.

Back to the topic, have there been instances of these crimes elsewhere too?
BTW, take a look at this:
Petrol Thefts from M/Cs and Scooters

Doesn't this happen here too?