Transport and Logistics Flanders, after consulting its members about the increase in fuel theft, has appealed to Minister of the Interior Bernard Quintin. According to the Flemish federation, short, medium and long-term measures are needed to support carriers.
One in five TLV members indicated that they had been a victim of fuel theft in April 2026. This phenomenon has clearly increased since the start of the war in the Middle East and the sharp increase in fuel prices. It is also noticeable in Flanders from France and is said to be the work of highly organized gangs that drain diesel from trucks, transport it in vans and resell it or use it illegally. “In addition to the direct economic damage caused by fuel theft, companies are often confronted with costs for repairs or repairs and they also have to compensate their customers if they have not been able to deliver the goods on time. In total, this can amount to 5,000 euros, an amount that is not or insufficiently reimbursed by insurance,” Johan Staes (CEO of TLV) explains in a letter to Minister of the Interior Bernard Quintin.
Why the Minister of the Interior? Because the procedures that carriers have to follow to report fuel theft are far too complex, especially in France, where the police do not arrive on the scene for these types of cases. The driver must therefore go to the nearest police station with a truck combination that is not always allowed to go there. In Belgium this depends on the police district. TLV therefore asks Minister Quintin to simplify and standardize the reporting of fuel theft, not only in Belgium but also in the other Member States. Cross-border cooperation should also be intensified, especially with France. More generally (but also in the longer term), Johan Staes also emphasizes the need to create more secure parking spaces for trucks.
