Reader TTS

FUEL THEFTS FROM UK FILLING STATIONS HAVE SOARED BY 49 PER CENT IN A YEAR, NEW FIGURES SUGGEST, LEADING AN EXPERT TO CLAIM REPEAT OFFENDERS ARE “PUSHING THEIR LUCK MORE THAN EVER”. 07:53, 04

Jun 2025 Tesco, Morrisons, Asda and Sainsbury's drivers have been urged not to break a rule that is "tempting" to flout at forecourts. Fuel thefts from UK filling stations

have soared by 49 per cent in a year, new figures suggest, leading an expert to claim repeat offenders are “pushing their luck more than ever”. Forecourt owners attempted to trace offenders

over 66,378 incidents between February and April. That is up from 44,631 during the same period last year. RAC Foundation director Steve Gooding said: “It would be tempting to suspect that

the cost-of-living crisis is pushing normally law-abiding people into committing this type of offence, but that would be an insult to the vast majority of people who continue to obey the law

whatever their circumstances. READ MORE ALL THE PARTS OF ENGLAND SET FOR 'AT LEAST 30C' NEXT WEEK IN UK HEATWAVE “Repeat criminals might well be pushing their luck more than ever

because they believe other pressures on the police are such that they’ll get away with it. Article continues below “Drive-offs might be seen as relatively low-level crimes in the grand

scheme of things but they are corrosive to society, damaging to businesses and ultimately push up pump prices for law-abiding motorists and riders. “More is being done to prevent these

crimes through adoption of better surveillance systems and pay-at-pump options, but the numbers suggest the problem has been getting worse, with tens of thousands of drive-away fuel thefts

each year. “Those tempted to refuel without paying need to feel there is a real threat of being caught and punished.” Article continues below Gordon Balmer, executive director of the Petrol

Retailers Association, said in a statement: “It is deeply concerning to see this criminal activity on the rise and its impact on those effected. “This is not a victimless crime and has a

major impact on fuel retailers, many of which are family-run forecourts who are already struggling under current economic uncertainty.”