Industry experts say rising petrol prices have resulted in an increase in fuel thefts from station forecourts. Petrol prices soared to record highs last week, with the cost of filling an average family car passing £100.
Forecourt Eye, which works with 1,000 garages in the UK, reported a 39% rise in non-payments since January. These included motorists driving off without paying or claiming to have forgotten their wallet, reports the BBC.
Nick Fisher, chief executive of the digital debt recovery company that traces and track non-payers, said forecourt theft had been rising month-on-month since Christmas. There was a 19.5% spike in January and February, which he linked to the rising cost of fuel.
