The recent rise in fuel prices seems to have made fuel a target for thieves. This article claims that high prices are behind a recent increase in fuel theft and the theft of catalytic convertors. The AA are being called out at least once a week to cars that have been damaged during a fuel theft. Thieves usually steal fuel by cutting through fuel lines, smashing open fuel caps, removing petrol tanks or drilling into fuel tanks and pumping out the contents. Larger cars such as people carriers and 4x4s are more vulnerable because they are higher off the ground giving thieves easier access and also have bigger fuel tanks. Fuel theft usually tends to go unnoticed until the victim runs out of fuel or finds they have a persistent smell of fuel coming from their car. Other than parking your car in well lit locations it appears there is not much you can really do to combat the problem.
