Petrol chiefs slam ministers over fuel theft 'epidemic' He added: "Retailers can do as much as they can, write down number plates, install CCTV but the police are saying that before they enter it into their records as a criminal office we have got to prove evidence of criminal intent by the motorist. That's near impossible. Some police forces are good, but others just do not seem interested. One of our members wanted to put spikes in, which he could raise if someone tried to drive off. The police stopped him. It's a bit like the old man who hits a burgular over the head with a chair and gets arrested first. It's ludicrous. The PRA wrote to police and justice minister Damian Green in April warning him of the growing threat to retailers. In a reply seen by the Daily Telegraph, Mr Green said he "sympathized" with the concerns of forecourt operators. But the minister added: "I hope you will understand that Ministers are unable to intervene in operational policing decisions to tackle crime. These are matters for the experienced and independent judgement of chief officers of police. Petrol prices are hovering just below record levels with unleaded averaging 137.3p per litre across the UK, meaning it costs £96 to fill up. Two months ago, London Police's National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB) warned organised gangs from Eastern Europe and Sri Lanka were filling up containers in their vans with fuel at various different forecourts, driving off without paying and then trying to sell it on the black market. Last week in a rare victory for forecourt operators, a thief admitted to driving off from 21 petrol stations across the West Midlands and Staffordshire without paying over a seven month period. The AA motoring organisation has previously called for tighter controls on who can buy, such as providing a credit card imprint or paying before you fill. But it admist both methods would cause "hassle" for motorists as they would have to make two trips to the kiosk. A spokesman for the AA said: "Drive-offs are symptomatic of two things. You can pin the blame on the cost of fuel and people being driven to doing this but the flip side is when something is so expensive it draws the eye of the criminals. In April some gangs were actually taking diesel out of the reservoirs under the petrol station forecourt.