Beware of cloners.

Byline: Steve Hughes

MOTORISTS are being warned to be on their guard against car cloning as the rising cost of fuel makes dishonest drivers increasingly desperate.

Prohibitive pump prices are said to be encouraging some drivers to fill-up and flee without paying, often with an innocent person's plates on their car to avoid detection by forecourt cameras.

Some police forces say they are recording increases of up to 44% in the number of drive-offs.

Car data checking company mycarcheck.com spokesman Roger Powell, says: "Since fuel prices started going up so dramatically there has been an increase in the number of people claiming their number plates have been stolen and used in thefts.

"It is more than just a minor inconvenience. The thieves have effectively stolen a car's identity.

"In desperation, an increasing number of filling station owners have installed automatic number plate recognition systems and closed circuit television in a bid to stem the flow of stolen fuel."

Latest figures from the British Oil Security Syndicate show total losses suffered by forecourt retailers in Britain last year increased by 13% to pounds 32.5m largely due to the theft of fuel.

BOSS, whose members include BP, Esso, Shell and Texaco, predict that this year the problem will be much worse and the money lost to thieves will exceed last year's figures.

Police estimate there are currently more than 100,000 cloned vehicles on UK roads, with thieves stealing the number plates from an identical vehicle and transferring it to a stolen vehicle of the same make and colour.

Some thieves copy the registration details to false plates and use the vehicle to commit a variety of criminal acts including petrol theft, often then selling the cloned car to an unsuspecting buyer.

"It is important to carry out a full history check on a vehicle and confirm its true identity before handing over any money," Mr Powell said.

Police forces are recording increases of up to 44% in drive-offs