Update: Road safety mobilization entity, Sikika, announced on Sunday, January 29, that the Ksh10,000 bill was paid to the director of the local petrol station in Kiserian, Kajiado County.
The entity lauded the Kiserian OCS for aiding with the matter and ensuring the bill was settled.
A trend where motorists fuel at petrol stations and drive off without paying the attendants seems to slowly creep back after another driver sped off without paying their Ksh10,000 bill.
According to the road safety mobilization entity, Sikika, the driver of a Land Rover Discovery fueled at Kiserian, Kajiado County, but drove off without paying. The incident left the petrol attendant staring at a huge bill.
The petrol station attendant reported the matter at Kiserian police station under OB Number 23/23/01/2023.
This led to an uproar from Kenyans online who lamented about the menace and posed why the driver of a 4-wheel drive Sports Utility Vehicle could not manage to pay the bill.
The Current Retail Selling Price(CRSP) of the vehicle ranges from Ksh8 million to Ksh11 million, excluding import duties.
Others opined that petrol stations ought to set a new policy whereby drivers pay first before receiving the service.
"This issue of drivers running after fueling is now becoming a plague. Petrol stations should set rules of paying first before fueling," James Ndung'u posted on Facebook.
"This is now too much, I wish people could emulate my cousin. When he pays through mobile money, he will send the attendant to go check if the money has gotten to them. He won't leave the place until confirmed," a post from Shie Mwaura read.
"But these cases of motorists fueling and running away without paying are on the rise. Fueling stations should enhance security measures. They should have manned security and spikes or barriers at their exit points," Reuben Binga pointed out.
The majority of users called for action to be taken to curb the menace.
"It's becoming rampant, is it that people are doing it for fame- because after being placed on the spot is when they pay- or it's just becoming some kind of fun? The big question still remains, what are we doing to those thieves to stop the menace from growing to uncontrollable levels?" Gray Mwash opined.
"I thought cars go hand in hand with mannerisms or class. A Discovery! So others we will be expected for such behaviour," a user identified as Makena noted.
The trend spiralled in early January after three cases were reported. It began on January 3, 2023, with the driver of a Toyota Prado TX who drove off from a petrol station along Jogoo Road after fueling his car. He left behind a bill worth Ksh10,000.
Barely a week later, another motorist, the driver of a Toyota Mark X, drove away without paying a bill worth Ksh12,000 at a petrol station in Imara Daima.
