Fuel theft from petrol stations across the United Kingdom has risen sharply since the outbreak of the Iran war, with motorists stealing an estimated £194,000 worth of fuel every day, according to new industry analysis.
According to BBC News, data from Forecourt Eye showed incidents of motorists leaving petrol stations without paying increased by 20% in the five months following the start of the conflict on 28 February. The value of stolen fuel also climbed 48%, driven by higher pump prices after disruption to Middle East oil supplies.
The report estimates that nearly 2,900 fuel theft incidents now occur daily across the UK’s more than 8,300 forecourts, with over 108,000 litres of fuel stolen every day. Petrol station operators also reported rising cases of abuse, intimidation and violence from frustrated customers.
Shailesh Parekh, who owns six petrol stations in the Midlands, said thefts have become an almost daily occurrence despite extensive CCTV coverage. He called for stronger police action, arguing that the lack of consequences for offenders has encouraged repeat offences.
In response to the growing problem, Forecourt Eye announced it will partner with facial recognition company Facewatch to provide crime-reporting technology to more than 2,000 retailers later this year.
The increase comes as fuel prices remain elevated following renewed tensions in the Middle East. While prices briefly eased after temporary diplomatic progress between the United States and Iran, they have since climbed to their highest levels since 2022.
The issue has also reignited debate over fuel pricing. Chancellor John Healey said the government would closely monitor retailers for any evidence of unfair pricing, although the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has said there is currently no widespread evidence of price gouging. The British Retail Consortium (BRC) maintained that intense competition among retailers continues to keep prices as low as possible despite rising business costs.
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