Cheshire Constabulary has issued a warning to drivers who have been brazenly making off without paying for fuel across the county.
Across Cheshire there has been an increase in drivers filling up their car with fuel at petrol stations and driving away without paying.
In July 2022, there were more than 100 reports of fuel thefts from petrol stations across the county.
Chief Superintendent Peter Crowcroft said: "We appreciate that times are hard everyone with the cost of living soaring, however, we cannot stand by and allow a small minority of people to get away with the theft of fuel.
"This may seem trivial to some but as police, we have a job to do and if you are committing any type of crime, we will prosecute you.
"Of course, there will be some innocent cases where drivers have left a petrol station without making payment and then, once realising their mistake, return to make a payment.
"However, there are still people who purposely fill a full tank of fuel and drive away with no intention of paying for it.
"But be aware, in Cheshire, we have many tools at our disposal such as ANPR cameras on road networks and facial recognition capabilities that will assist us in identifying offenders and bringing them to justice.
"So if you are thinking about driving off without paying for fuel, just think is this worth it?"
If you witness fuel theft in your area, you can report it to Cheshire Police via https://www.cheshire.police.uk/police-forces/cheshire-constabulary/areas/cheshire/about-us/about-us/provide-more-information-about-an-appeal/ or call 101.
