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North Essex: fuel thefts rise sharply
5:56am Tuesday 13th May 2008
Comments (3)SOARING fuel prices were today blamed for an increase in the number of people driving off without paying at petrol stations.
Colchester's crime reduction officer, Colin Stiff, is warning forecourt staff to be on the lookout.
"We are getting a significant increase in the number of reports of people making off without payment," he explained. "With the price of fuel so high nowadays it is more than a temptation and we are getting more and more reports in the eastern division."
There were two thefts from the same petrol station, in London Road, Marks Tey, within four hours of each other yesterday morning.
The first was reported to police at 7.45am, and the second at 11.05am. In both cases, the motorists put £20.01 worth of fuel in their vehicle before driving off.
detections One of the vehicles was a blue Renault, while the other was described only as white.
A third theft took place over the weekend in Clacton, proving the crime is not restricted to one area.
Mr Stiff believes that the ever-increasing price of fuel could see the number of thefts rise, but warned thieves that the technology is helping to close the net on criminals.
He explained: "Increasingly, more petrol stations are utilising the automatic number plate recognition cameras and, at the end of the day, we are having more success in detections.
"If offenders are caught we will not hesitate to take appropriate action against them."
There have been at least three or four reports weekly in the eastern division, which covers Colchester and Tendring districts.
Officers investigating the thefts are examining CCTV footage from the forecourts and are appealing for anyone with any information to call Colchester police on 0300 333 4444.
Your Say YourGazette
Paul, Colchester says...
1:44pm Tue 13 May 08
I strongly urge you to write to your MP expressing your extreme dissatisfaction with excessive fuel taxation and the utter lack of altertnatives and let slip that unless your MP commits to lobbying his/her party to fuel duty, they won't be getting your vote in 2010.
If all motorists threaten to boycott any party which does not commit to an urgent review of fuel duty then it'll become an election issue they'll all be fighting to meet the issue head on.
It's not taxes which will help reduce carbon emissions, it'll be legislation.
ex customer, says...
8:29pm Tue 13 May 08
Surely anybody intending to stealing petrol would not put in £20.01 they would fill up. Yes the police should study the cctv to find the facts in this case at least.
Garage - hit twice in four hours.
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Fed Up Motorist, Colchester says...
12:40pm Tue 13 May 08
Gordon is taking nearly 70 pence in the pound that is spent on a litre of petrol.
In addition he has ramped up the car tax on cars over seven years old.
To think I was stupid enough to vote Labour in 1997, 2001 and 2005.
Never again and the Lib Dems and the Tories aren't much better*.