Thefts of petrol from cars costing residents dearly

Petrol thefts from parked cars are proving costly for residents, victims have said.

Diana Maria's car had its petrol cap removed with a knife before the fuel was drawn in Hockley, Birmingham.

She said it was the second time it had happened within two months and left her with a large bill for repairs.

One of her neighbours said he too was a recent victim. West Midlands Police said it was investigating.

"I was shocked to be told by my neighbours that my petrol tank had been drilled to get out the petrol - it's the second time this happened in the past few months," Ms Maria said.

"I am amazed that people do this for maybe about £10's worth of petrol."

She added the real financial impact was much greater, as she faced a bill of about £2,000 once she factored in the damage to her car and missing work due to not having transport.

"The garage guys also mentioned that there is a high chance of explosion if the engine is turned on after the damage, because of the highly flammable gas," Ms Maria warned.

"I called the police and I was told to 'park somewhere else' - this is unacceptable, this is where I live. Not being able to do anything about this is extremely frustrating."

She added she had been talking to neighbours who had said it happened to many of them before.

West Midlands Police said anyone with information about such thefts should get in touch.