Police investigating a spate of fuel thefts from petrol stations in the north east have made two arrests

Since Monday 6 January Humberside Police have linked 29 thefts totalling more than £3,000 of fuel.

In each case a transit-style van was used to steal fuel from petrol station forecourts with 15 of the 29 fuels thefts occurring in the East Riding spanning South Cave, Beverley, Cottingham, Anlaby, Hessle, Woodmansey, Bridlington and Goole. Other thefts took place in Hull, Scunthorpe and Grimsby.

Humberside Police said it was suspected that at least two transit-style vans had been used to commit the fuel thefts, with one being white and the other silver.

On all occasions the thieves filled the vehicle up and drove away with paying. The vans were all on a variety of false plates.

Police said an unusual factor about the thefts was that the majority of them took place in batches with the thieves driving to several petrol stations in succession.

The arrests took place on Tuesday evening after a white transit van filled up with petrol at a forecourt in Goole and left without paying.

The police were alerted and the van was stopped and both the driver and passenger were arrested within 30 minutes of the report being made.

Inside the van was more than a 100 litres of fuel in a large container. The van had been stolen at the end of January.

Both men have now been released on police bail pending further enquiries.