Topsham fuel thefts - a police priority

POLICE have reassured motorists that extra force resources are to be invested in trying to stop drivers from becoming the victim of fuel thieves. Percy Giles, PCSO for Topsham, said the issue was now being made a priority after eight petrol thefts in the

POLICE have reassured motorists that extra force resources are to be invested in trying to stop drivers from becoming the victim of fuel thieves.

Percy Giles, PCSO for Topsham, said the issue was now being made a priority after eight petrol thefts in the town within the last five months.

"These thefts are happening all over Exeter sadly, so much so that it has been highlighted by the neighbourhood teams and there are dedicated patrols out there to stop it from happening," he said.

"I think there is intel to suggest who the culprits could be.

"Whoever is doing this is going underneath the cars and drilling two to three holes and draining off petrol. Drivers would not know until they started driving that they had run out of fuel."

Station Garage has been targeted twice in the last five months by thieves.

Mark Blatchford, manager of the garage, said: "I'm getting fed-up with it now. Luckily they weren't customers' cars, they were all ours.

"It's an expensive job to get them repaired. Fortunately, we've managed to sort out the one's that have been done ourselves.