Father in racket which stole hundreds of pounds of fuel from Black Country stations avoids jail

Jabhar Ahmed's role was driver in two petrol thefts, but he was linked by police to a total of 15 thefts by two cars used over the past two years.

Following one attempted theft in Hagley Road in Stourbridge, he tried to escape officers by driving the wrong way down a one-way street before mounting a pavement.

Despite getting away, the 21-year-old was arrested a week later, but denied any involvement in the thefts in police interviews.

He later pleaded guilty in court to conspiracy to steal, handling stolen goods and dangerous driving.

At Wolverhampton Crown Court, he received a 12-month prison sentence, suspended for two years.

Judge Nicholas Webb told Ahmed, of Thornhill Road in Quarry Bank: "You lent vehicles toward an enterprise involving another named person and other unnamed persons whereby you went to visit garages, driving your vehicle which bore false number plates and filled up on petrol which you stole.

"You filled up not only the car, but sometimes cans which you put in the car and on one instance the petrol pump was put through the car window.

"The dishonesty involved was considerable, it was deliberately planned, it was repeated."

Miss Laura Hobson, prosecuting, said the racket involved around 50 petrol thefts from stations.

Judge Webb said 13 of the thefts saw £1,358 worth of fuel taken.

Miss Hobson told the hearing how Ahmed was stopped on his last attempt to steal fuel, on October 1 last year.

She said he drove a car on to the forecourt of a Tesco garage in Hagley Road in Stourbridge.

The kiosk assistant recognised another man with Ahmed and did not authorise the pump, before calling police.

Miss Hobson said: "The defendant then drove in a dangerous manner to evade capture by police.

"He drove the wrong way down a one-way street toward a police car and mounted the pavement in an area where pedestrians were."

The car was found dumped, and Ahmed was arrested on October 9, with the keys to the vehicle found in his home.

Mr Jas Mann, defending, said Ahmed had got involved in the operation after becoming homeless with his wife and child. He has since had a second child.

He said: "He was unemployed at the age of 20 - but he was old enough to know better."

Mr Webb also ordered Ahmed complete 180 hours unpaid work and be supervised for 12 months. He was also disqualified for two years.

Mr Webb also served a warrant for Jamil Hart, another man involved in the racket.

The 19-year-old, of Chestnut Avenue, Dudley, failed to turn up at the hearing to be sentenced.

He had already pleaded guilty to conspiracy to steal, handling stolen goods and dangerous driving.