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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to consider fuel tampering a crime police should investigate?

43 replies

TamperedFuel · 02/01/2022 12:38

Changed name since this could identify me.
My car broke down and the garage established that the diesel I put in the car was 'half water' and now need repairs for over 1000 pounds. I always use the same Tesco station and filled petrol there a few hours before the car broke down.

I have a video showing the damange made by the garage. I reported this to the police and insurance. Police said this is not something they will investigate and insurance also preliminary saying this is not included in our (we thought) comprehensive insurance.

Apart from the money, I feel the victim of a crime and this could happen to many others. Either the garage is fooling us or the petrol was tampered with.

What would you do?
AIBU thinking this is indeed a crime?

OP posts:
MrsColon · 02/01/2022 12:42

That's really shocking! Could someone else have had access to your car? It's not likely to have been a Tesco garage, they'd be found out in hours.

Can you get another opinion from another garage?

PigeonLittle · 02/01/2022 12:43

Id report to trading standards as well.

fakehuman · 02/01/2022 12:44

If the quality of their fuel is anything like their food then I wouldn't be surprised if it's been diluted.

Trading Standards might be interested. Is there a national fuel regulator I wonder? You need to get the garage to provide a written account of what they found.

BlwyddynNewydd2022 · 02/01/2022 12:45

Someone hasn't siphoned your fuel tank over night and then topped it up with water afterwards have they?

Or did you drive from the garage and then break down like 40minutes later?

BlwyddynNewydd2022 · 02/01/2022 12:46

Ignore me....I just read it was a few hours afterwards. I'm a fool.

PigeonLittle · 02/01/2022 12:46

@BlwyddynNewydd2022

Someone hasn't siphoned your fuel tank over night and then topped it up with water afterwards have they?

Or did you drive from the garage and then break down like 40minutes later?

I just can't imagine someone taking your diesel topping it back up albeit with water? They'd need to carry a water tank with them to start which isnt very stealthy.
Original poster
TamperedFuel · 02/01/2022 12:47

Thank you for the tip on the 'Trading Standards'. I will look into it today.
I need the car so reproted to insurance but asked for it to be repaired at the official garage to which the car brand belongs.

OP posts:
Original poster
TamperedFuel · 02/01/2022 12:48

The car tank was full. I cannot see how it would be possible for someone else to empty half tank and refill with water. It is the weirdest thing ever happening to me.

Because it is a very big Tesco with lots of traffic I also think this would have happened to many others.

OP posts:
JuergenSchwarzwald · 02/01/2022 12:49

I don't think you can siphon off fuel anymore. Trading standards are the right people to investigate this.

WorriedGiraffe · 02/01/2022 12:50

What have Tesco’s said about it?

SilverHairedCat · 02/01/2022 12:52

This is a Trading Standards problem, the police wouldn't know where to start. Contact your local TDS team today, lodge a complaint with Tesco immediately, and ensure your garage has a report they are prepared to stand by. TDS will need to take samples from the Tesco pumps, so be VERY clear on which pump you used.

Crime doesn't always fall to the police to investigate or the CPS to prosecute, but it's not as widely known as it should be.

LubaLuca · 02/01/2022 12:54

Every vehicle that filled up at the pump will have broken down as well, so it won't be long before it's traced back to Tesco.

Have you contacted Tesco yet?

Failingallotmenteur · 02/01/2022 12:56

I work in the industry.

Absolutely no way is it desirable (or even possible frankly) for a fuels retailer to deliberately substitute real fuel for water.

Tesco will absolutely want to know about this, because if it is a problem from you filling up there then as PP point out, many many people will be affected. (I presume you have contacted them to complain?) Contact Tesco customer services directly rather than going back to the forecourt.

I'm afraid though the likely answer is the siphoning/replacement one.

BlwyddynNewydd2022 · 02/01/2022 13:00

You can siphon from tanks even new ones.

All you need is a hose a Jerry can. You feed the pipe in to the tank via the cap, suck it till the fuel starts to come out and put the pipe in to the Jerry can and fill up.

You then top up the tank with like 4ltrs of water back down the pipe. Many use like two bottles of volvic water so they don't look unusual carrying a bag with some water in it.

Fuel theft is a thing still. Normally kids with scramblers do it in our area. 🤷🏻‍♀️

But in this case you said it was a few hours after. Did you park up anywhere, was it night time. Can't see anyone doing it in broad daylight.

TheCraicDealer · 02/01/2022 13:01

Could it be worth doing a post on your local fb page, something like "has anyone had any issues after filling up at the Tesco garage at [location] recently?". Then see what the response is. If this was an issue with Tesco fuel then you would expect similar stories.

Either the fuel was dodgy at source or someone's tampered with it once it's in the car. What was the gap between fill up and identifying the issue? Is there any time the car was left unattended between those two events? I'm even thinking of kids putting water in the car playing 'petrol station', or a neighbour with a grudge.

Also make sure a sample of the fuel is kept if you can.

AllThatFancyPaintsAsFair · 02/01/2022 13:02

This is a not uncommon thing to happen, I can think of two instances at garages near me. Post on your local facebook to try and find the others who used the same pump and get a little campaign going. Try your local newspaper too

Tbh I wouldn't expect either the police or your insurers to be interested, you'll need to advocate for yourself

Original poster
TamperedFuel · 02/01/2022 13:02

@Failingallotmenteur

I work in the industry.

Absolutely no way is it desirable (or even possible frankly) for a fuels retailer to deliberately substitute real fuel for water.

Tesco will absolutely want to know about this, because if it is a problem from you filling up there then as PP point out, many many people will be affected. (I presume you have contacted them to complain?) Contact Tesco customer services directly rather than going back to the forecourt.

I'm afraid though the likely answer is the siphoning/replacement one.

I contacted Tesco straight away, providing the date, my card number, etc. so it is easier to track down. The idea that someone shiponed the Diesel and replaced it with water is totally out of this world.
OP posts:
Original poster
TamperedFuel · 02/01/2022 13:04

@AllThatFancyPaintsAsFair

This is a not uncommon thing to happen, I can think of two instances at garages near me. Post on your local facebook to try and find the others who used the same pump and get a little campaign going. Try your local newspaper too

Tbh I wouldn't expect either the police or your insurers to be interested, you'll need to advocate for yourself

If someone damages my car to the point that it just stopped (it would have been very dangerous on the highway) and then it cost me thousands of pounds in repairs, how is this not 'interesting' for the insurers or the police?

I don't see the difference with just breaking in and stealing. But I have posted because I need other perspectives.

Thank you very much for the tips.

OP posts:
AllThatFancyPaintsAsFair · 02/01/2022 13:05

@BlwyddynNewydd2022

You can siphon from tanks even new ones.

All you need is a hose a Jerry can. You feed the pipe in to the tank via the cap, suck it till the fuel starts to come out and put the pipe in to the Jerry can and fill up.

You then top up the tank with like 4ltrs of water back down the pipe. Many use like two bottles of volvic water so they don't look unusual carrying a bag with some water in it.

Fuel theft is a thing still. Normally kids with scramblers do it in our area. 🤷🏻‍♀️

But in this case you said it was a few hours after. Did you park up anywhere, was it night time. Can't see anyone doing it in broad daylight.

I know how to siphon fuel but what's the deal with filling it up with water? Why would theives be messing around with that? How easy is it to open the fuel tank of locked car without leaving any signs?
Original poster
TamperedFuel · 02/01/2022 13:06

@SilverHairedCat

This is a Trading Standards problem, the police wouldn't know where to start. Contact your local TDS team today, lodge a complaint with Tesco immediately, and ensure your garage has a report they are prepared to stand by. TDS will need to take samples from the Tesco pumps, so be VERY clear on which pump you used.

Crime doesn't always fall to the police to investigate or the CPS to prosecute, but it's not as widely known as it should be.

Thank you. This makes it clerarer. Thanks for all the answers really
OP posts:
CovidCorvid · 02/01/2022 13:08

@TamperedFuel

The car tank was full. I cannot see how it would be possible for someone else to empty half tank and refill with water. It is the weirdest thing ever happening to me.

Because it is a very big Tesco with lots of traffic I also think this would have happened to many others.

I’d join the local fb group and post asking if similar has happened to others. I did read about a similar issue funnily enough with my local Tesco a couple of years ago, loads of cars broke down. Not sure if it was half water, but there was certainly an issue.
AllThatFancyPaintsAsFair · 02/01/2022 13:08

I'm not getting at you but what crime has been committed that the police would follow up and what insured thing has happened?

You are rightly cross and if Tesco is at fault they absolutely need to stump up for your repair, it's their responsibility but theywon't admit it unless you can find others with the same problem and kick up enough fuss

BlwyddynNewydd2022 · 02/01/2022 13:09

They top it back up so the owner doesn't realise for about 30miles and just think their car has broken down. A d also some just think it's funny to not only thieve but damage property at the same time.

Depends how your fuel cap opens. Not all cars need a button to pop open the fuel cap, so you just push it and unscrew.

When this was a major issue, remember cars needed the key in the fuel cap to open it. Now most you just pop the fuel flap and unscrew the cap. Even the "lockable one" can be opened without pressing the button you just pull it open and then push it back till it clicks back in.

I work with service users with "interesting pasts" shall we say, nothing surprises me anymore. 😳

Failingallotmenteur · 02/01/2022 13:10

Have they responded? They should take it extremely seriously & investigate.

My doubt over the forecourt being the origin is from the garage statement in your OP that it was "half water". If you filled up when empty, that's about 30 litres of water that's somehow made it into your tank. That's a huge quantity.

If this is an exaggeration and it was a far smaller quantity then it increases the likelihood it could be from the forecourt via a failing pump for example.

I'm genuinely interested to hear what they come back with. Sorry this happened to you!