Police issue urgent warning to drivers with petrol and diesel thefts costing thousands
Some criminals may target drivers who buy large amounts of fuel
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Petrol and diesel prices have been rising over the past few weeks and months, prompting experts to warn drivers of criminals looking to steal fuel and fuel cards from unsuspecting motorists.
A spike in fuel theft claims was spotted last year following the ban on red diesel, with many targeting rural vehicles to steal diesel and avoid paying high prices.
When fuel prices were at record levels last summer, forecourts were witnessing up to 3,000 attempted fuel thefts every month.
This represented a 39 per cent increase in reports of non-payment for petrol and diesel between January and May in 2022.
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Fuel car theft has also become more common in recent years, with criminals targeting lorry drivers and people filling up with large amounts of diesel.
In March, two fuel cards were stolen and used at various locations, racking up a staggering £1,500 worth of fuel at multiple locations.
Another instance saw fuel cards being stolen from a lorry and used 36 times to obtain £6,000 worth of diesel.
PC Andy Barkway, from Norfolk Police, warned that the crimes seen around the area were the work of a single gang targeting vehicles for fuel cards.
He said: “We are investigating several cases where large amounts of fuel have been purchased fraudulently at 24-hour filling stations across Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, and Lincolnshire.
“The purchases are made over a matter of hours, at night, and before the owners have realised.“Our advice is not to leave fuel cards in vehicles and to consider leaving a note in the window advising would-be thieves there are none left in the vehicle.”
It has been suggested that vehicle owners should consider keeping their fuel cards on the key fob in a holder.
This has frequently been the advice given to motorists with keyless car entry, through the use of a Faraday pouch.
This helps to block the signals from the car fob from being intercepted by criminals using a relay device and gaining access to the car.
Drivers should also be cautious when visiting 24-hour filling stations, especially with any people acting suspiciously.
They may try and hide their identities when filling up with large amounts of fuel, as well as checking any cards that may have been tampered with.
PC Barkway urges motorists to call 999 if they have any suspicions and believe a crime is in progress.
An incident in July found a number of cards stolen in Cambridgeshire used across multiple locations, totalling £6,000.
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Fuel card theft is also becoming more common
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In September, a staggering robbery took place in Dunnington, York, which saw more than 20,000 litres of fuel from two HGVs.
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