Intruders who siphoned off thousands of pounds worth of diesel from a petrol filling site were caught in the act by police after sudden loss alarms tipped off staff.

The theft took place at Forest Lane Service Station, on the A614 near Calverton, Nottinghamshire, which is owned by Brobot Petroleum, the 11th ranked company in the Forecourt Trader Top 50 Indies with 23 sites.

Director Eddie Bright said the men entered the site on Friday, February 15, about an hour and a half after it had closed, and were using a vehicle fitted with IBCs (intermediate bulk containers) which they filled with around 10,000 litres of diesel.

The site is fitted with sudden loss alarms linked to the main alarm system, and when this was activated the site key-holder and police were alerted and went to the site.

Two men were apprehended by the police and charged with theft, and the uplifted product was impounded.

Bright said: “We will be getting our product back next week and the men who were charged are up in Crown Court next month. Our staff will be witnesses as to the CCTV evidence. So all in all, a good result from a bad situation.”