Fuel theft has surged across Britain since the outbreak of the Iran war, with new figures showing drivers are stealing an average of nearly $270,000 worth of fuel every day. Industry analysts say the spike in oil prices has fueled a wave of crime that is increasingly accompanied by violence against gas station employees.
According to new data from Forecourt Eye, a company that specializes in preventing fuel theft, the number of incidents has risen by roughly 20% over the past five months, since February 28. The value of stolen fuel has jumped 48% compared with the five months preceding the war.
The company estimates there are now an average of 2,872 fuel theft incidents every day, up from approximately 2,400 daily cases before the conflict. The figures include motorists who drive away without paying as well as those who claim they have no means of payment.
The increase in theft has also been accompanied by a disturbing rise in violence. Gas station operators report growing incidents of abuse, intimidation, and assaults by frustrated customers. In response, Forecourt Eye announced a partnership with facial recognition company Facewatch, giving more than 2,000 retailers free access to crime-reporting technology beginning this fall.
Fuel prices in Britain peaked in April before falling in June following a U.S.-Iran framework agreement to end the war. Prices have since climbed again after the collapse of peace talks.
Last week, gasoline prices reached their highest level since the outbreak of the Iran conflict and their highest point since 2022. A similar increase in fuel theft was also recorded after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in early 2022.
New Chancellor John Healey pledged over the weekend that his government would act against any attempts to exploit the Iran war by imposing excessive price increases. However, he said there is currently no significant evidence of widespread price gouging and vowed to monitor the situation closely for any signs that consumers are being “taken for a ride” at the pump or at the checkout.
Fuel retailers have denied accusations of excessive pricing, while Britain’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said in May that it found no widespread evidence of unfair pricing practices. Nevertheless, the regulator said it continues to examine specific cases where unusual price increases have been reported.
The latest figures highlight how geopolitical conflicts can quickly affect daily life far beyond the battlefield, with higher energy prices fueling both economic pressure and rising crime in countries thousands of miles from the fighting.