POLICE have urged petrol stations to take more precautions against "bowser bandits" as figures released last week revealed that Casey was again the hardest-hit in Victoria.
Police statistics for 2007-08 put Casey in the No.1 hot spot, accounting for 468 of almost 5600 fuel thefts from service stations.
Whittlesea was second with 370 reported drive-offs.
There were 74 in Cardinia, up from 57 the previous year.
The latest figures were an improvement for Casey on 2006-07, when it had also topped the list with 580 of the total 6254 thefts across the state.
Sergeant Rob Madeley, of the Narre Warren police, attributed the drop to the introduction of the prepaid fuel scheme.
"Within the first six to 12months of implementation there was a significant reduction in petrol theft drive-offs in Casey."
Victoria Police safer communities unit Inspector Jill Wood, urged petrol station owners to introduce or increase their prepaid hours to further reduce the incidence of thefts.
Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce executive director David Purchase said the prepaid system had disadvantages.
"Some customers find it offensive and inconvenient.
"It also can deter motorists from coming back into the shop, and many service stations depend heavily on shop sales for their viability."
However, those service station owners who had employed prepay had found it to be an effective method of preventing fuel-theft, he said.
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