At least £ 6.5m fuel More than 130,000 drive-offs are stolen Petrol station In the last five years, forecourts suggest new figures.
Despite the data of senior police, warns that such crimes may “be” Severe organized crime is associated with The group “, a new investigation suggests that an average of 86 percent of cases are dropped without identifying a suspect.
Analysis of police data obtained through the Independence of Information Act shows that in the last five years, there have been an average of 505 incidents of cars every week without paying in Petrol Forcorts in England and Wales.
It reached the summit of 635 per week in 2022, equal to more than 33,000 such theft that year Fuel prices Spinish To record high. Out of 45 UK police forces, 33 figures were obtained, who shared their data with the outlet Forecourt trader,
The outlet estimated that on an average £ 49 fuel is stolen in each event, which is significantly below the cost of a full tank. The figure was calculated using data of five police forces, which used to record the value of fuel theft continuously.
in London, Metropolitan Police Since 2020, more than 15,000 reports of incidents of “without payment without payment” have been reported more than an estimated total of more than £ 787,000.
West Yorkshire saw more than 8,700 incidents, which costs an estimated £ 438,000, while Greater Manchester Police Around 14,000 offenses were registered at an estimated price of £ 697,000.
“The disappointment of retailers on the lack of action on this issue, who can explain why our data only scratches the surface, because many forecourt managers do not disturb the reporting fuel Theft As they know from bitter experience, nothing is likely to happen, ”Hugo Griffiths said, the reporter investigated.
This is despite the fact that petrol stations usually contain CCTV footage of crystal-clier ANPR data and such incidents, just sitting there, being reviewed by officials “, Mr. Griffiths has written in one. Reciprocal,
He also pointed to the data of the safety firm Vars technology, which includes cars involved in some of all such 13 percent of the events that are fitted with clones or fake number plates, or there is no registered keeper, which Mr. Griffiths said “suggests” not only prefumed, but also a link to a more serious crime “.
The Association of Police and Crime Commissioners told that Forecourt trader Drive-offs in forecoups “can be linked to other serious organized criminals”, warning that the police should not “be decent about these crimes because they are not afflicted or low-levels, as sometimes suggested”.
A spokesman for the council of a national police chiefs said: “Forces have regular conversations with commercial providers and organizations, including petrol stations, about the safety of their sites and to make them work with them to make it difficult for criminals for criminals.
“In some cases, there may not be enough intelligence or data to work for the police. This does not mean that a crime is closed indefinitely or that intelligence or information is ignored. Intelligence is important in detecting organized criminality, and we will encourage anyone who suspect criminality to report criminality in our community.