Few repay after petrol pump price mistake

Only one-seventh of the amount owing for petrol taken from the Challenge Riwaka gas station near Motueka has been repaid.

Drivers flocked to the station on October 21 and 22, taking about 2200 litres of petrol after an automatic overnight self-service eftpos pump was incorrectly set to dispense petrol at just 14.4c a litre instead of $1.44. The difference between that and its true value totalled about $2800.

Offers to repay about $400 were made during an amnesty which expired at the weekend, proprietor Jeff Rogers said this morning.

"We've probably had about 17 callers, but some were offering to pay half of the same transaction."

Only 10 cardholders had offered to make good the difference between what they paid and the value of the petrol they took, he said. In total, 52 purchases were made on 39 eftpos cards, with some people returning to make the most of the error.

"All the transactions were by eftpos, so police have the details of all the people involved," Mr Rogers said. "We'll have to talk to the police about whether to extend the amnesty or take other action."

Senior Sergeant Grant Andrews of Motueka police said last week it was possible that action could be taken for misusing a document. Police had been busy with other matters since the amnesty ended but would make further inquiries later this week, he said today.

The keypad on the bowser had been replaced since, Mr Rogers said, although it was not certain it had been the cause.

- nzpa