Haulier blames fuel prices for diesel theft
Martin Pinches said someone had stolen 400 litres of diesel from two of his lorries
Key points
- M Pinches & Sons Ltd in Worcester had 400 litres of diesel stolen from two vehicles at the weekend.
- Director Martin Pinches estimated the stolen fuel was worth about £800 and blamed rising fuel prices.
- West Mercia Police said a burglary was reported between 24 and 25 October and inquiries are ongoing.
A West Midlands haulage company has said rising fuel prices are driving thieves to steal diesel after 400 litres were taken from two vehicles at the weekend. Martin Pinches, director of M Pinches & Sons Ltd in Worcester, estimated the missing fuel was worth about £800.
Pinches said the theft happened "because of the price of fuel" and described diesel as "liquid gold". He added that the added cost is a bigger burden on a business that uses more fuel.
Damage to vehicles
Pinches said the thieves also broke numerous fuel sending units and fuel caps on the vehicles. The damage meant the lorries were out of action for a day while being repaired, resulting in lost revenue.
He said the company may tell drivers not to fill the lorries until the morning they are going out, and that something like this happening again is "always in the back of your mind".
It was reported that a large quantity of fuel was stolen from two lorries on the site. Inquiries are ongoing.
— West Mercia Police spokesperson
Police investigation
West Mercia Police told the BBC it had received a report of a burglary after a business was broken into sometime between 24 and 25 October. A force spokesperson said a large quantity of fuel was reported stolen from two lorries on the site and that inquiries are ongoing.
Fuel duty and prices
During Wednesday's budget, Chancellor John Healey said the 5p temporary cut in fuel duty on petrol and diesel, introduced by Rishi Sunak in 2022, would be extended to July. It had been scheduled to be phased out from January, meaning drivers will still pay the levy at 52p per litre.
Motor fuel prices have risen sharply owing to the continued impact of the Iran war, with diesel recently hitting new records above £2 per litre. Filling a typical family car with diesel has gone up by around £30 since late February, while a tankful of petrol costs about £23 more.
