Fuel thefts are spiralling as the price continues to rise at the pumps.

Dorset Police are receiving calls on a daily basis and victims say the cost of petrol and diesel are behind the thefts.

Companies with fleets of lorries as well as small firms and private motorists have been targeted.

And police have reported an increase in the number of motorists driving away from petrol stations without paying.

In the latest incident a total of seven removal lorries were hit at two Weymouth businesses and the crimes have prompted complaints that the high charges are the reason behind it.

The firms that were hit on Lynch Lane fear they will be put further at risk if the 3p per litre price hike goes ahead in January.

Charlie Oldridge works in the office at Sureways Removals and Storage and came to work to find five lorries had been emptied of around £300 worth of fuel in what was the third time in three months.

He said: “They drained every drop so we couldn’t get moving and it’s definitely because of the price of fuel.

“It makes it worth stealing because there’s a ready market.”

The lorries are being kept as empty as possible but the total cost to Sureways has still reached more than £1,000.

Driver Mark Dawling added: “The price is getting ridiculous and that’s why they are taking it.”

The thieves also targeted a lorry and a van at Direct Removal of Weymouth on Lynch Lane.

Owner Barry Smale said they smashed the anti-siphon device to get to the fuel.

His drivers also leave the vehicles low on fuel but said £70 of diesel was taken.

He said: “It runs in spates as we don’t have any problems for six months and then it happens two or three times.

“It must be the price and the trouble is they say they are putting it up again.

“They smashed the anti-siphon device off with a hammer.”

PC Stan Knight, the beat officer for Lynch Lane, agreed the cost of fuel is having an effect.

He said: “The increasing cost of petrol makes it a very attractive target.

“If anybody has seen any anyone acting suspiciously on Lynch Lane we want them to call us.”

The thefts took place sometime last weekend after staff left on Friday, November 11.

Witnesses or anyone with information can call Dorset Police on 101.

PRESSURE TO CUT COSTS

CHANCELLOR George Osborne has come under pressure to hold down fuel prices.

The government has been intending to increase fuel duty by 3p a litre in January and make a further rise next August.

But a 100,000 signature petition prompted more than 100 MPs to sign a motion calling for prices to be kept in check and South Dorset MP Richard Drax spoke in a commons debate calling on the treasury to do more to keep the cost down.

He said drivers feel they are being “unfairly penalised” with prices higher than those on the continent and some family cars costing a “staggering” £100 to fill up.

He said his constituents want to know why they are paying nearly £1.40 per litre for diesel with the costs on businesses affecting their ability to create jobs.

On today’s fuel prices for both unleaded and diesel around 80 pence per litre goes to the tax man including close to 58 pence for fuel duty and around 22 pence on VAT.

With around 45 pence per litre going on the actual unleaded fuel and around 51 pence on the diesel the retailer commonly receives between four and seven pence and less than two pence goes on the cost of refining.

FUEL THEFT FEARS

RURAL insurers see a spike in claims for theft of fuel every time the price at the pump goes up.

Tim Price, rural affairs spokesman for NFU Mutual, said he understands firms being afraid of fuel theft if prices go up again.

“When a price for something goes up you almost immediately see more claims for it so it looks like oil will continue to be targeted,” he said Red diesel used by farmers is not allowed for use in road vehicles but this has not prevented tractors and other agricultural vehicles being targeted. Around £200 worth of white diesel was siphoned from a lorry when £10,000 worth of items were taken from Dorchester firm Highwood in Millers Close on the night of Monday, November 7.

Nick Green, operations director, added: “The concern is that fuel is not going to go down in price. It might stabilise but it’s currently going up and with people losing jobs they are going to look at whatever ways of getting about.”