Man who fled gas stations without paying is jailed

A man used specially adapted vans to steal £4,200 worth of fuel from petrol stations.

Jonathon Lawrence, 24, of Feltwood Walk in West Derby, escaped without paying from yards in Lancashire, Cheshire, West Yorkshire and North Wales in a three-month burglary at the end of last year.

He sometimes used vans that were specially adapted for theft, with fuel tanks and containers mounted in the back. He was arrested in Preston in January this year.

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At Preston Crown Court, Lawrence pleaded guilty to eluding, driving without a license and driving without insurance. On May 21, he was jailed for 28 months and banned from driving for 36 months.

PC Sasha Smith-Hooke of Preston Police said: “Lawrence was prolific in escaping yards without paying for fuel at a number of locations.

“These offenses involved several thousand pounds of petrol and diesel, with Lawrence deliberately targeting petrol stations and sometimes using specially adapted vehicles.

“I hope the prison sentence given to Lawrence sends a message that crimes of this nature will not be tolerated.”

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