Fuel Thefts Soar as Thousands Drive Off Without Paying at Forecourts

Research shows that approximately 2.5 million incidents of unpaid fuel occur every year.

Fuel prices are seen at a petrol station in Wimborne, England, on March 11, 2022. Finnbarr Webster/Getty Images

Cases of petrol and diesel theft at garage forecourts have increased dramatically, new data has revealed.

Information obtained by the RAC Foundation showed that in the third quarter of the year, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) received close to 40,000 requests in relation to fuel theft.