Car owners are being warned to keep an eye on their number plates after a spate of pilfering in the wake of rising fuel prices with people driving away from garages without paying.

In a bid to beat detection many of the credit crunch crooks are resorting to desperate measures to snatch fuel, including stealing the number plates of innocent motorists to cover their tracks.

Roger Powell of mycarcheck.com, the UK's fastest growing car data checking company says, "It's more than just a minor inconvenience. They have effectively stolen a car's identity. Maybe they intend to steal fuel, commit an armed robbery, run drugs or sell a stolen car, all of which would lead the police directly to an innocent person's door. That's why it's of paramount importance that victims report the matter to the police straight away."