Most thefts are reported at truck parking areas in France, but carriers say the problem is increasingly spilling over into Belgium as well.
Trucks are being targeted by organised groups
TLV argues these are not random acts of vandalism. The association says well-organised criminal groups are behind the attacks, operating in a repeatable way and draining tanks quickly—often before anyone notices.
Industry estimates suggest that as much as 600 litres of fuel can disappear from a single vehicle. And the financial hit doesn’t stop at the missing diesel.
Additional costs typically include:
- repairs and towing,
- delivery delays and missed time windows,
- customer complaints,
- and, in some cases, the cost of dealing with spills handled by emergency services.
Carriers also point out that insurance policies typically do not reimburse stolen fuel. On top of that, reporting procedures are described as slow and complicated—meaning some incidents never make it into official statistics. Even where companies invest in security systems, many say the measures still don’t provide an effective barrier against offenders.
TLV: enforcement matters—cameras alone won’t solve it
In TLV’s view, the scale of the issue goes far beyond one-off cases.
“This is not vandalism, but well-organised crime that puts pressure on the entire logistics chain. It creates huge costs and disrupts carriers’ operations,” said Johan Staes, CEO of Transport & Logistiek Vlaanderen.
The organisation has taken the matter to institutions. In early May, the issue was highlighted more widely in the media, and a letter was sent to Interior Minister Quintin calling for stronger action and simpler reporting procedures for thefts.
According to TLV, the government side acknowledges the seriousness of the problem and has asked the federal road police to step up patrols at motorway parking areas.
Europe’s truck parking problem
TLV stresses that secure truck parking should be a cornerstone of any effort to reduce fuel theft. The group says it’s not just about surveillance, but also physical protections and basic facilities for drivers. It also calls for a coordinated European approach, arguing that the problem crosses borders and affects entire road transport supply chains.
Fuel theft is rising across Europe
Similar patterns are being reported in other European countries as well. In March 2026, German trade media described a case in which around one thousand six hundred litres of diesel were stolen from two trucks at the “Grüner Winkel” motorway rest area near Euskirchen. French carriers, meanwhile, report that losses are no longer limited to occasional incidents—some companies say thefts exceed several tens of thousands of litres per year. The practice is increasingly described as organised crime, and parts of the sector argue that the response from services remains inadequate.
How to reduce the risk of fuel theft
While it may be impossible to eliminate the threat entirely, industry experience points to measures that can make theft significantly harder:
- anti-siphon devices – prevent fuel from being extracted through suction,
- reinforced locking caps – far harder to force open,
- filler neck locks and covers – physically restrict access to the tank,
- alarm systems and fuel-level sensors – alert operators to attempted theft,
- telematics monitoring – enables real-time tracking of fuel levels,
- security seals – make tampering easier to detect.
Everyday operating habits matter, too. Parking in well-lit areas, positioning the fuel filler against a wall or close to another vehicle, and choosing guarded parking sites can increase the time and effort required—often enough to deter thieves.
With transport costs rising, diesel is no longer just a consumable. For many fleets, it has become a strategic asset—one that increasingly needs protection comparable to the cargo itself, within the wider Eurovignette policy environment.
