Eagle-eyed officer spotted driver wanted for petrol theft

SERIAL CRIMINAL RECOGNISED FROM CCTV

- By MARK NAYLOR

A MOTORIST who repeatedly drove off from petrol stations without paying was finally caught by pure chance when an eagle-eyed police officer spotted one of the vehicles involved in the brazen thefts.

Serial criminal Jack Towle was not even driving at the time that the Land Rover Discovery, with different registration plates, was unexpectedly seen not far from the Humber Bridge. He was just the passenger and a woman was driving but that did not stop the resourceful and observant officer from recognising Towle from tell-tale CCTV images that were circulated of the petrol thief, Hull Crown Court heard.

Towle, 24, of Blyth Court, Barton-upon-Humber, admitted three offences of making off without paying for petrol and three offences of driving while disqualified on March 31, April 6 and April 26 last year.

He originally denied the offences and was due to face a trial but he changed his pleas to guilty.