Fuel thieves targeted at stations

Motorists who fill up at petrol pumps then drive off without paying are being targeted by police in Cambridgeshire.

The practice, which police have termed as "bilking", has led to more patrols on petrol station forecourts.

There were 125 thefts of fuel from five stations in north Cambridgeshire last year, despite warnings from police.

Pc Norman McCallum said: "We will be concentrating on filling stations that have been particularly badly affected and they are all in rural areas."

Officers have begun using ANPR (automatic number plate recognition) technology at garage forecourts to target offenders.

Police will also stop uninsured and untaxed vehicles as well as those that have been involved in crime in the past.

Pc McCallum added: "This is often seen as a victimless crime but the cost of thefts are eventually passed on to the public and we treat all forms of theft seriously."