THIEVES are cashing in on the fuel crisis by stealing car number plates in a bid to make off with petrol from Hampshire forecourts.
Police are now investigating cases of stolen licence plates, which they believe could have been removed by thieves to put on other vehicles that are then being used to steal petrol from garages.
They are now urging drivers to be aware of the latest scam that they say could become more common due to escalating fuel costs.
A police spokesman said: "These criminals steal licence plates to put on their own cars and fill up at a petrol station and drive off without paying.
"Most garages have CCTV that record car number plates as they are using the pumps, the perpetrators know we won't be able to trace it back to them and they won't be the one getting prosecuted."
The spokesman added that they expected to see more cases of drivers leaving forecourts without paying, known as bilking', should the petrol price crisis deepen.
One victim of number-plate theft is Hampshire car salesman Malcolm Mathews.
The 65-year-old from Chandler's Ford the Daily Echo: "I couldn't understand why these criminals just steal my number plate and nothing else.
"It never occurred to me that the number plate would be used for stealing fuel."
The theft of Mr Mathews' licence plate from his Seat Leon happened in the middle of the day and in a busy area.
It has prompted police to urge motorists to contact them if they see anyone acting suspiciously and to take extra security measures to protect their vehicles.
They are also investigating more cases of fuel being siphoned from vehicles and are urging lorry drivers in particular to increase security of their vehicles that can cost up to £1,000 to fill with fuel.
The Government is coming under increasing pressure to cut the price of fuel after the cost rose 20 per cent since the start of the year.
Motorists in Hampshire are regularly paying more than £1.16 a litre for petrol and around £1.30 for diesel.
The issue has prompted a number of protests across the country including Hampshire where farmers took to the roads in their tractors to highlight the impact of high fuel costs on their livelihoods.
Anyone with information about fuel theft crimes can contact Hampshire police on 0845 045 4545 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
- See the full story in today's Daily Echo.
