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WATCH: Rally champ has car stolen from Wolverhampton forecourt while paying for petrol

This is the moment a retired rally champion had his car stolen from a Wolverhampton forecourt while he was paying for petrol.

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The man was caught on CCTV on the forecourt before the theft

Richard Hill, aged 71, left his keys in the Kia Picanto intending to pay at the forecourt kiosk metres but was forced to go inside because the external counter was closed.

A thief swooped and sped off in the car. The entire incident was caught on CCTV at the Birches Bridge Esso station in Wolverhampton Road, Bilbrook. Staffordshire Police are investigating the theft on May 4.

Mr Hill, a successful racing driver who more than 100 races across various disciplines during the 1960s and early 1970s before retiring 40 years ago, said losing the car had been hard to swallow.

The man was caught on CCTV on the forecourt before the theft

He said: "It was as I got to the desk to pay that the woman, who I have known for many years, that she said 'someone has just driven off in your car'. I was only there a couple of minutes and the bloke was in it and gone. I was gutted. I never leave the keys in the ignition. It was only because I had pulled up so close to the kiosk."

The CCTV footage shows a man appearing to use a nearby cash machine as Mr Hill fills his car with £30 of petrol. He then walks past Mr Hill's car and has a close look inside through the window before disappearing out of shot.

Former champion Mr Hill won numerous races during his career

When Mr Hill, who was born in Penn and lives in Bilbrook, goes inside to pay the man reappears and can be seen getting into the car before racing off at speed.

"My advice to everyone would be do not leave your keys in the car at any time," said grandfather Mr Hill. "It is a lesson I have learnt the hard way, costing me £5,000 as my insurance firm is refusing to pay out."

A police spokesman said: "This appears to be an opportunistic theft. There have been no arrests and we continue to investigate."

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