Two thieves who stole more than £3,000 of diesel from filling stations across Leicestershire, have been jailed.

Edgar Beliavskij and Dzintars Tancis filled up 30 times at garages across the county and left without paying. They used stolen registration plates on two vehicles.

Jonathan Cox, prosecuting, told Leicester Crown Court the pair continued to offend while on bail after their first arrest for theft.

Beliavskij, of Holkham Avenue, Northfields, Leicester, and Tancis, of Walton Street, off Narborough Road, Leicester, admitted conspiracy to steal from petrol stations, between July and December last year, along with handling stolen registration plates. Beliavskij also admitted breaching a suspended detention sentence, for an offence of causing actual bodily harm.

He was sentenced to a total of 12 months’ in prison, while Tancis, who has no previous convictions, was jailed for eight months.

Sentencing, Recorder Michael Elsom said: “It was a conspiracy in which you targeted no fewer than 30 petrol stations with the sole intention of stealing fuel.

“Having been arrested in relation to 21 of the offences and released on bail, you carried on offending. Those who set out to deliberately steal in this way have crossed the custody threshold.

“The owners and managers of petrol stations shouldn’t have to endure repeated offending at the hands of people who are minded to steal their fuel, like you two.”