More people driving off from petrol stations without paying for fuel amid high prices

The last few weeks has witnessed an increase in the number of fuel station drive-offs. Photo / 123RF

Parallel to the ever-increasing cost of petrol in New Zealand, Z Energy has witnessed more consumers leaving stations without paying.

Due to increasing costs of crude oil, the New Zealand dollar falling and increasing fuel taxes, petrol pumps are forcing a strain on Kiwis.

Some motorists are taking drastic actions to avoid the economic sting, putting in fuel and driving away from stations before paying.

Over the last few weeks, Z Energy has witnessed a small increase of motorists getting behind the wheel instead of the cash register.

"At a high level we have seen a slight increase in the number of drive-offs," a spokeswoman said.

"We don't have exact numbers for that but we do have automatic number plate recognition software and CCTV installed at all our sites."

Z Energy, who is New Zealand's largest retail fuel chain and also supplies fuel to the Caltex brand, said it's not a common trend for motorists to leave before paying.

The spokeswoman said even if motorists do drive off, they'd have trouble if they went to another station.

"If a vehicle drives in that has committed a drive-off in the past, [the security system] flags that," she said.

Earlier today Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern poured cold water on calls from members of the public to have the Government remove petrol taxes.

Despite claiming consumers were being "fleeced" by petrol prices on Monday, the Prime Minister said removing taxes weren't on the radar.

"We have seen an increase [in fuel prices] over the past year of almost 39c and in that period of time excise has been 6.8c of that," Ardern said.

"If we remove the 3.5c tomorrow, I cannot guarantee that would be passed on to consumers."

On October 1, excise tax was increased by 3.5c.

Today, she defended her strong language saying it was "an expression I used just in utter frustration".

She said there is a "significant proportion" of the petrol price that "cannot be explained".