Official statistics from UK police forces show the number of drive-offs reported by fuel retailers have risen by 26% since prices began to climb alongside the Iranian conflict.
Low reporting rates by forecourt operators mean not all drive-offs will have been logged by police, but of the 32 constabularies responding to a Freedom of Information request, a total of 827 were recorded before the war began, rising to 1,045 after the conflict commenced.
The increase confirms the trend long known by forecourt operators, that drive-offs rise with prices, and coincides with diesel climbing by 35%, and unleaded by 19% during the height of the conflict. Research from security firm Forecourt Eye found that fuel theft rose 23% over March and April compared to the previous two months.
Hertfordshire Police recorded the most drive-offs, registering 152 incidents in April, with North Wales Police documenting the biggest increase, up from three, to 14, a 367% hike.
The data was obtained by breakdown and insurance firm the RAC and reported by the Telegraph. It follows a similar investigation by Forecourt Trader, published last year, which uncovered that police were effectively failing to investigate fuel theft in up to 96% of reported incidents.
