A garage cashier has narrowly avoided jail for his part in a fuel-card cloning scam in which £30,000 of petrol and diesel was stolen from forecourts across Birmingham.

Khaled Abdulkawi cloned at least 46 cards at the Esso Falcon Service Station, Halesowen, and passed them to accomplices who topped up their tanks at the expense of companies signed up to the Allstar Fuel Card scheme.

The 26-year-old copied the cards between November 2013 and May 2014 before two men used them repeatedly at regional garages, primarily in Washwood Heath and Erdington.

Abdulkawi admitted three counts of fraud and at Birmingham Crown Court was given an 18-month jail sentence, suspended for two years, and ordered to carry out 300 hours of unpaid community work.

DC Launa Rowley from the Economic Crime Unit, said: "The scam was identified after some fuel card customers reported strange transactions on their accounts but whenever one of the cards became ’hot’ the fraudsters moved onto the next card cloned by Abdulkawi.

"I’m still looking for information on one man suspected of being involved in the con and who was caught on a shop camera (above). If anyone recognises the man I’d urge them to call me on the 101 number."

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