Fuel theft

Freedom of Information (FOI) Act request ref: 01/FOI/26/009881/N

Version Date: 15/06/2026

The Performance & Analysis Department has provided the following information:

Data Source:

Crime information system – Niche

Data Processing:

Cancelled crimes excluded, Non notifiable crimes excluded                                 

Qliksense Report: Crime and Outcomes                                         

Filtered by date: 1 January to 24 April 2026 and then by 1 January to 24 April 2025

Offence Description: Make off without making payment (recordable)

Data Limitations:

Data provided is based on the principal crime counting rule. This means that where multiple crimes have been committed, only the most serious crime will be counted and appear in the statistics.                          

The number of making off without payment (MOWP) offences recorded so far this year
How many of those relate to petrol station fuel drive-offs?
Has there been an increase in these offences - particularly drive-offs - since fuel prices started to surge with the start of the war in Iran?
Any context or commentary you're able to provide alongside any numbers would be very useful.

Clarification:  On question 3 if you are able to provide a year on year comparison for January, Feb, March and April 2025 and 2026 without exceeding the cost limit that would be great.

Between 1 January and 24 April 2026, there were 91 offences of Make off without making payment recorded. Of those, 52 were of fuel from a petrol/service station.

Between 1 January and 24 April 2025, there were 79 offences of Make off without making payment recorded. Of those, 40 were of fuel from a petrol/service station.