Ipswich worst in Suffolk for people making off without payment from fuel stations
New figures reveal the number of thefts from fuel stations. - Credit: Getty Images/Polka Dot RF
More than £18,000 worth of fuel has been stolen from petrol stations in Ipswich in the last five years.
Out of 315 thefts reported to Suffolk Constabulary between 2011 and 2015, only 50 offenders were caught by police.
Ipswich has seen more fuel thefts over this period than any other town in the county, amounting to more than 25% of the total crimes.
The petrol stations in Ipswich that have been targeted the most are: Morrisons in Sproughton Road (40), Tesco at Copdock Interchange (31), Sainsbury’s in Felixstowe Road (31) and Shell in London Road (28).
However, the figures, released under Freedom of Information laws, show that the number of people driving off in their vehicles without paying for fuel in Ipswich is going down.
In 2011, 99 thefts were reported to Suffolk Constabulary, totalling more than £6,000 - but only 15 motorists were caught by police. The following year the number went down to 54, then 69 in 2013, 51 in 2014, and there were 42 reported drive-offs in the first nine months of last year.
The county-wide picture is similar to Ipswich, with 286 reported offences in 2011, 249 in 2012, 269 in 2013, 246 in 2014, and 203 from January to September last year.
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The town in Suffolk that saw the second highest number of thefts from fuel stations was Newmarket with 287.
Detective Chief Inspector Barry Byford of Suffolk Constabulary said: “Police deal with a number of making off without payment incidents at petrol stations across the county each week and work with businesses to encourage measures such as CCTV that can help detect offences.”
Anyone with information about someone committing this type of crime should call police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
