Fuel Thieves Running on Empty Justice? Hundreds of County Durham Fuel Theft Cases Closed Without Suspects...
Eight in Ten Cases Closed Without a Suspect in Durham's Worst Year for Reported Fuel Theft
20th October 2026
Newly published police figures have revealed that more than 1,600 suspected fuel theft offences were recorded across the Durham Constabulary area over five years, yet barely five per cent of those cases resulted in a suspect being charged or summonsed to court.
Figures released by Durham Constabulary under the Freedom of Information Act have raised questions about how effectively incidents involving motorists leaving petrol stations without paying are being investigated.
The disclosure, covered five calendar years between 2021 and 2025, and recorded 1,682 offences with a combined reported value of £101,441.46.
However, despite the substantial number of incidents, its claimed just 89 of those cases actually resulted in a suspect being charged or summonsed, representing approximately 5.3 per cent of all recorded offences.
Records also revealed that 1,227 cases were closed with investigations complete and no suspect identified. That represented approximately 73 per cent of all offences recorded during the five-year period.
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The figures were disclosed following an FOI request by a member of the public seeking information about fuel theft, commonly known as bilking, in which motorists fill their vehicles with petrol or diesel before driving away without paying.
The annual figures were recorded below:
Year | Recorded offences | Reported value | Charged or summonsed |
2021 | 301 | £14,547.66 | 25 |
2022 | 423 | £25,791.40 | 26 |
2023 | 429 | £35,481.70 | 16 |
2024 | 357 | £17,594.59 | 15 |
2025 | 172 | £8,026.11 | 7 |
Total | 1,682 | £101,441.46 | 89 |
The worst year was 2023, when 429 offences were recorded, with reported losses exceeding £35,000. Yet just 16 of those incidents resulted in a suspect being charged or summonsed, equivalent to fewer than four per cent, with 357 of the 429 cases recorded that year closed without any suspect being identified.
That left eight out of every ten cases recorded in 2023 with investigators unable to identify a suspected offender.
Sharp Fall in Recorded Fuel Thefts Raises Questions..
Durham police's figures also reveal a substantial reduction in recorded offences during the final two years, suggesting efforts were made to tackle the increasing numbers recorded during the pevious years.
After peaking at 429 incidents in 2023, the number then fell to 357 in 2024 before dropping sharply to just 172 in 2025, representing a reduction of approximately 60 per cent in two years.
The reported value of stolen fuel also declined sharply, falling from more than £35,000 in 2023 to just over £8,000 in 2025.
Are Fuel Thieves Getting Away With It?
Perhaps the most troubling aspect of the disclosure is the comparatively small proportion of incidents resulting in any formal prosecution proceedings. Across the five-year period, nearly 95 per cent of recorded cases failed to result in a charge or summons being recorded in the published figures.
Although some offenders received cautions, community resolutions or other outcomes, the overwhelming majority of incidents did not progress to a formal charge.
Government Recognises The Growing Concerns..
The problem has also attracted attention nationally, where in January 2026, the Government confirmed that improvements had been made to Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency services to make it easier for petrol retailers and their agents to obtain information needed to pursue unpaid fuel bills.
Responding to a parliamentary question about fuel theft, Home Office minister Sarah Jones encouraged retailers to continue reporting incidents to police.
The Government said improvements to the DVLA's information service would provide a quicker and more efficient means of helping businesses recover money owed.
Nevertheless, the Durham figures seem to illustrate the difficulties faced in securing criminal justice outcomes following reported drive-offs.
