Cloned number plates used in fuel theft

A man stole hundreds of pounds of petrol from filling stations across the region using cloned number plates to try to fool CCTV cameras, a court heard.

Jaydeep Karra is accused of targeting petrol stations in West Bromwich, Walsall and Wolverhampton.

Mrs Clare Davis, prosecuting, told Wolverhampton Magistrates Court yesterday that the thefts were committed between March 10 and June 29 last year, with a Ford Fiesta, a BMW, and a Vauxhall Corsa all bearing the same number plate.

Mrs Davies said the number plate was actually registered to a blue Ford Ka.

Five of the offences, called bilkings, were carried out at the Shell garage in Dudley Street, West Bromwich.

They were followed by two more, at the Somerfield filling station in Wolverhampton Road, Walsall, and at the Waitrose station in Marston Road, Wolverhampton.

Karra, of Lane Road, Lanesfield, denies seven charges of driving off without payment.

The court heard on June 6, 20-year-old Karra's Fiesta was found burned out and he was provided with a Vauxhall Corsa from Enterprise Car Hire.

He collected the car at 1.36pm, and at 4.20pm, another offence was reported involving a Corsa, the court was told.

The court was shown CCTV of each of the thefts.

Mrs Davies told the court: "On July 23, officers attended the defendant's home address.

He was arrested and his home searched. Several items of clothing were seized which are believed to be similar to those worn while committing these offences."

Mr Sundip Murria, defending, said the footage was not clear enough to conclusively identify Karra as the culprit. The trial was adjourned until April 2.