Crime Desk

The London Daily News in a report has discovered that petrol thefts across the capitals petrol stations are up in some cases by 40%, with drivers not paying for fuel.

In a recent incident at an Esso petrol station in Winchmore Hill a male driver of an AUDI R8 filled the vehicles tank with £68 of unleaded and left the petrol station without paying.  One of the staff told the London Daily News:

"Its totally unbelievable that someone driving a £70,000 car cannot or does not want pay for the petrol; we are having at least one incident like this each day, the police are informed but are yet to do anything".

Petrol stations are now insisting in many cases of pre-payment of petrol, or having clear sight of a cars registration before filling up.  

Police in the capital are struggling to combat the new phenomenon of petrol thefts, given the speed at which the incidents take place and the difficulty in tracing drivers.