35pc increase in petrol thefts

Petrol thefts from forecourts in Staffordshire have soared by 35 per cent this year as the price of fuel has escalated, it was revealed today.

In seven months to the end of October this year 682 thefts of petrol, also known as bilkings, were recorded – at a rate of 97 thefts per a month.

Last year there were 72 reports each month, or 866 for the year.

Staffordshire Police today promised a Christmas crackdown on bilkings and number plate thefts, with stolen plates often used in crimes at the pumps. Rocketing fuel prices are thought to be behind the increase.

An average litre of petrol in Staffordshire is now 130.1p and diesel 139.2p, both around 10p more than this time last year.

Police chiefs say they are working with garages that supply and fit number plates, encouraging staff to offer drivers anti-theft screws which are available from police stations in Lichfield, Stone and Stafford.

Supt Juliet Prince said: "The problem with having your number plate stolen is not just the cost of replacement, but often the stolen number plates are used on other vehicles to commit crimes ranging from traffic offences to theft of petrol.

"By securing the number plate using tamper-proof screws it makes the initial theft a lot harder.

"We recently held a week of action under operation Impact that saw hundreds of vehicles stopped and checked in the south of the county. We are continuing with enforcement activity in the run up to Christmas.

"We are determined to stamp down on criminal use of our roads, including the offences of bilking and the use of false plates."

The picture in Staffordshire reflects the situation in the West Midlands, where bilkings are up 28 per cent year on year. West Midland Police investigated 2,974 petrol thefts between April and August this year, up from 2,331 during the same period 12 months ago.