Thieves drill holes in parked cars to steal fuel after panic buying sparks petrol shortage

THIEVES are drilling holes into parked cars to steal fuel after panic buying sparked a petrol shortage.

Forecourts up and down the country are drying up as the pump chaos caused by hoarders and a shortage of HGV drivers continues.

Now, heartless thieves are cashing in by launching vicious schemes to steal fuel from hardworking Brits.

In one video – believed to be shot in Birmingham – Shadrack Olaloko tells how his car was targeted by thugs on Sunday.

He said: “What these guys did was they came and drained out all my fuel in the tank.

“My car uses diesel. Normally I lock my car, I don’t joke with it.”

The thieves forced his petrol cap open from the hatch in the side of the car, before going underneath.

“They made a hole in my tank. Can you see? They made a hole and drained out all the diesel. A full tank of diesel,” he added.

 It comes as…

• Petrol supplies have been plundered with industry figures revealing 85% of stations have run out of fuel
• Soldiers could be called in to help deliver fuel tankers as the PM mulls calling in the army
• Brawls have broken out across forecourts – including dramatic scenes between moped drivers
• Susanna Reid slams the Government, and asks “where are they?” as leaders refuse to appear on TV
• Competition laws have been suspended in an attempt to curb panic buying
• The UK’s second-biggest oil refinery faces collapse over a £223million VAT payment
• An ambulance crashed into traffic waiting for petrol while rushing to an emergency
• Grant Shapps blamed hauliers for the chaotic scenes
• A list of petrol stations with fuel can be seen here

“They drained everything out and then they left.”

He then describes how the van parked next to him also suffered the same treatment.

Motor store Halfords revealed sales of jerry cans rocketed by a whopping 1,656% this weekend as Brits stockpiled fuel.

Boris Johnson is considering emergency plans to end Britain’s petrol panic – with industry bosses fearing the fuel crisis could last at least another week.

The PM will today mull plans to deploy the army to drive fuel tankers to deliver supplies as the crisis spiralled over the weekend.

ARMY ‘DRAFTED IN’

Up to 90 per cent of all service stations outside of motorways are now dry as Brits raced to fill up their motors and the PM was urged to “act now” to avoid even worse chaos.

But his plan to bring in 5,000 truckers from the continent on short-term visas are in disarray with many set to refuse to come over.

Brawls have broken out on petrol station forecourts as frustrated drivers clashed while queuing at pumps – turning on each other in shocking scenes.

And it was yesterday revealed that cops were forced to jump a queue in order to get vital fuel and an ambulance crashed into traffic waiting for petrol while rushing to an emergency.

There are even fears the turmoil could deepen today as millions of Brits get into their cars and head to the office.