Fuel theft dispute leads to bans at over 1,300 UK petrol stations
A Blackburn couple, Amjad Khan and Nasim Khan, were barred from more than 1,300 petrol stations operated by VARS Technology for around 19 months after VARS alleged they drove off a Manchester Esso forecourt without paying £20.01. The couple maintain they paid in cash. VARS, which provides ANPR cameras and debt recovery services to about one in eight UK forecourts, sent Nasim Khan a demand for £50.01 in July 2023, which included £20.01 for fuel and £30 in administration fees. A debt collection firm later demanded £140.01 in October 2023, but the couple stated they never received any video footage to prove they had not paid.
After a year-and-a-half dispute, VARS discontinued its claim before a judge in February 2025. The family reported that being blocked from refuelling at numerous stations affected their daily life and travel, including visits to London. In a separate incident, Angela Binns and Mark King received a fuel debt claim at an Esso in Leeds in May. Despite providing bank statements to contest the charge, VARS did not drop the claim, which caused them stress and eventually led to their paying the disputed amount to resolve the situation.
An ex-VARS employee criticized the reliability of the ANPR software used, but VARS defends its system as reliable and accredited under the Police Preferred Specification via Secured by Design. The company states it manages thousands of recovery claims weekly with incidents being rare. VARS says it protects forecourts against drive-offs and lists major operators such as Asda, EG Group, and Valli Forecourts among its clients. However, The Guardian noted online reviews from customers alleging wrongful debt claims with little supporting evidence.
