Petrol thieves are becoming such a nuisance in Oxfordshire that police have appointed an officer to tackle the growing problem, writes Andrew Ffrench.

Filling up with fuel at a petrol station and then driving off the forecourt without paying known as 'bilking' has cost garages an astonishing 150,000 in the past year.

Petrol stations across Oxfordshire and the Thames Valley are also reporting that the problem is on the rise.

As a result, Oxford police have responded by appointing their own bilkings officer, Pc Pete Hickman.

Sgt Stuart Gibbs, of Oxford police, who is based at St Aldate's, said: "We have responded to this growing problem by appointing Pc Hickman, and investing 10,000 in special equipment which is able to view all kinds of security videos. "Pc Hickman has already visited garages in the area to try to co-ordinate a united response to reduce these crimes.

"Patterns of offending are already starting to emerge, so the appointment is beginning to pay dividends."

Mo Shaikh, manager of the BP garage next to City Motors off the Wolvercote roundabout, said the company now employed a local security firm to patrol the forecourt to try and prevent bilking from taking place.

And the filling station is installing a new number plate recognition system, which will photograph numberplates and store them on a database.

"If a previous offender comes on to the forecourt," he said, "we will be able to recognise them, and decide not to authorise the sale.

"This has become a real problem and we believe that the new security measures will pay for themselves in the long run."