Clue in hunt for conman; CRIME: Fuel paid for using cloned card at station.

Byline: Matt Lloyd

POLICE are hunting a crook who led Birmingham drivers on a convoy to a petrol station where he racked up a pounds 3,000 fuel bill using a cloned card.

Police released a CCTV image of a suspect wanted in connection with the elaborate scam, in which motorists were offered half-price petrol.

Targeting drivers in Coventry Road, Small Heath, he led them to a BP forecourt at Willenhall Road, Bilston.

There, the motorists paid the conman half the true cost of their fuel before he paid with the cloned card.

The crook used the cloned card at least 40 times earlier this year before he was rumbled.

Police said the crook maintained the deception by telling petrol station workers he owned a car hire company.

PC Steve Gwynne, of West Midlands Police, said: "The man deceived attendants into believing he ran a car hire firm and preferred to fill up his fleet's tanks overnight. The car owners accompanied the man to the petrol station.

"The man would then fill their vehicles with fuel and pay using the cloned card.

"The car owners paid the man half the value of the fuel dispensed."

Police said all the fraudulent transactions took place between midnight and 3am.

The man police want to question is Asian, aged 35 to 40, of heavy build, and with black hair which was receding slightly at the sides.

The man also had a black goatee beard and wore a black coat.

The offences took place between May 14 and 19.

Anyone with information should call PC Gwynne on 0845 113 5000 (ext 7879 6439).

CAPTION(S):

Wanted: Police aim to quiz this man.