Almost £200,000 of fuel stolen from UK forecourts every day since Iran war began
Fuel theft from UK petrol stations has risen by 48% since the start of the conflict in the Middle East, costing retailers nearly £200,000 daily. Industry groups are responding by deploying facial recognition technology to combat the surge in theft and associated violence.
Why it matters
The data highlights the economic ripple effects of geopolitical conflict on domestic retail security and consumer behavior.
Image source, PA Media By Jemma Crew Business reporter Published 10 minutes ago UK drivers have stolen almost £200,000 of fuel from petrol stations on average every day since the Iran war broke out and sent prices soaring, according to industry analysis.
Incidents of fuel being taken from forecourts without payment have risen by a fifth in the five months since 28 February, figures from Forecourt Eye suggest.
The conflict in the Middle East severely disrupted oil supplies across the region, triggering a rise in wholesale prices and subsequent increase in costs at the pump in the UK.
Forecourt Eye said the value of the stolen fuel is estimated to have risen by 48% compared with the five months before the war - to reach an estimated daily average of £194,000.
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