HEATHROW is to blame for Hounslow being the capital’s fuel theft hotspot, according to police.

There were 175 reported cases of petrol being stolen from vehicles in Hounslow over the last four years, more than in any other London borough, according to figures published this week by the BBC.

A spokesman for Hounslow Police claimed the high number of haulage firms in the area, serving Heathrow and central London, were the reason for the high number of such crimes.

He advised people to park goods vehicles, which are frequently targeted, in
well-lit areas, covered by CCTV, to deter thieves.

There were 2,044 reports of fuel theft across London over the last four years, according to figures from the Metropolitan Police, but just 57 prosecutions.

Recorded incidents increased from 389 in 2009 to 580 in 2011, before falling back slightly to 510 last year. The upwards trend has been blamed on rising fuel prices.