A recent investigation reveals over 130,000 fuel theft incidents in England and Wales over the past five years, amounting to at least 6.5 million liters stolen. Despite serious warnings from police regarding links to organized crime, 86% of these cases remain unresolved, with authorities identifying few suspects. The peak in incidents coincided with rising fuel prices in 2022, and many forecourt managers refrain from reporting thefts due to a perceived lack of response. Data was gathered from 33 out of 45 police forces in the UK, indicating a much larger issue.
Analysis of police data obtained via the Freedom of Information Act shows there have been an average of 505 incidents every week of cars driving off without paying at petrol forecourts across England and Wales over the past five years.
Despite senior police figures warning that such offences can be linked to serious organised crime groups, a new investigation suggests that an average of 86 per cent of cases are dropped without a suspect being identified.
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