Auckland-based crime prevention startup Auror has expanded into the Australian market, deploying its technology that aims to curb fuel drive-offs to more than 150 service stations around the country.
Auror’s platform is designed to report and manage crimes issues such as petrol theft drive-offs and shoplifting. Over the past three months Auror has been launched in more than 150 petrol stations, including BP and Caltex in Victoria, South Australia, New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia.
Drive-offs reportedly cost Australian fuel retailers $55 million in 2015, averaging around $186 per site each week, according to the Australian Association of Convenience Stores (AACS) State of the Industry report.
Auror marketing and communications lead, Kevin Ptak, says the Australian experience indicates that most vehicles flagged by the Auror platform are repeat offenders.
Auror aggregates information and streamlines incident reporting, connecting authorities to a business’s CCTV footage and other information. It uses number plate recognition automation, enabling retailers to put specific pumps on prepay when a vehicle that has previously committed a drive-off is detected; and sends real-time alerts to service station retailers registered to the platform when high-risk offenders are in the area.
New Zealand fuel retailer Z Energy says it has seen a 70 per cent reduction in drive-offs using Auror.
Wayne Kennerley, Z Energy owner operator said: “What I like about Auror is that it actually prevents the crime from happening in the first place. If you’re a person that does drive-offs or you are that way inclined, you are less likely to come to our sites, because you know we are not going to have open pumps for you, you know you’re not going to get away with it”.
Auror’s base level platform is available for free.
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