Fuel thieves strike as petrol prices soar and petrol station staff are threatened with violence by furious drivers

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Fuel thieves have struck at a petrol station as prices soar - and staff at the pumps are threatened with violence by furious drivers. 

The global spike in costs has come amid Iran's ongoing retaliatory bombing of the Gulf, after the country was attacked by the US and Israel on February 28. 

The conflict effectively shut down the Strait of Hormuz - the narrow waterway through which 20 per cent of the world's oil and gas exports travel. 

With the price of oil surging, diesel has on average risen 16p and petrol 7p since the start of the war in the Middle East, according to the RAC.

It marks an 18-month high for petrol prices - and the biggest increase in diesel costs for more than two years, the automotive services company said.  

And now enraged Brits appear to be taking matters into their own hands, with a duo arrested this week for a spate of fuel thefts in the south-east. 

Police arrested the suspects in St Albans, Hertfordshire, on Thursday after pulling them over as they drove their white Ford Transit van. 

The officers from the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Road Policing Unit believed the vehicle had been used in several 'theft of fuel offences' in the area. 

The global spike in costs has come amid Iran's ongoing retaliatory bombing of the Gulf, after the country was attacked by the US and Israel on February 28. Pictured: Cars queue at a petrol station in Manchester this week 

Enraged Brits appear to be taking the ongoing fuel crisis into their own hands, with a duo pulled over and arrested this week for a spate of fuel thefts in the south-east. Pictured: The van they were stopped in 

This came after the force had also previously reported a string of other fuel thefts elsewhere in the east of England, in Hollesley, Suffolk, earlier this week. 

It has not been confirmed whether the van pulled over is linked to this latter set of incidents. 

The driver and passenger were found with a 'sophisticated fuel siphoning system' and an Intermediate Bulk Container (IBC), an industrial-grade, 1,000l storage vessel.

They were arrested on suspicion of theft and going equipped to steal. 

Petrol station staff, overwhelmed by angry customers wanting to fill up, have faced a deluge of threats and intimidations in recent days amid the ongoing fuel crisis. 

Shocking pictures show queues trailing far back from the pumps, as desperate motorists descend in their hordes on forecourts across the country. 

Goran Raven, who runs a petrol station in Romford, Essex, said it has been one of the most challenging times in his family's four generations in the business. 

He told the BBC: 'Our prices have just absolutely exploded. No one likes to put up their prices for the consumer. It's the worst thing you can do as a business.' 

Bigger petrol firms buy fuel in advance, meaning rising costs filter through to customers more slowly. 

They are also able to buy and store more petrol and diesel at once, which often comes with better rates. 

But things are trickier for smaller independent stations like Mr Raven's, which pay daily spot prices - the cost of fuel at the live market rate that day. 

It leaves them more exposed to fluctuations in costs, especially as he often does not know that day's price until his tanks have already been filled, forcing him to pay it. 

Only able to store 24 hours-worth of fuel at once, the arrival of the tanker each morning can bring a new and shocking price increase. 

The daily cost of stocking his pumps can vary by as much as £2,000 day to day - and it is hard for a small family business like his to absorb those kinds of overheads. 

But even trickier is dealing with angry members of the public, who Mr Raven has tried to proactively inform about the difficulty of his circumstances. 

He goes out speak to drivers while they fill up and explain why prices are rising and posts about the situation on his firm's social media accounts. 

The driver and passenger were found with a 'sophisticated fuel siphoning system' and an Intermediate Bulk Container (IBC), an industrial-grade, 1,000l storage vessel (pictured)

They were arrested on suspicion of theft and going equipped to steal. Pictured: The inside of the van they were stopped by police in 

Petrol station staff, overwhelmed by angry customers wanting to fill up, have faced a deluge of threats and intimidations in recent days amid the ongoing fuel crisis. Pictured: Cars queue at a forecourt in Manchester this week 

Despite their attempts at transparency and proactivity, some customers are still coming in and being 'vile' to his staff, the business owner said. 

He added he understands why people are upset - but said it is unfair to take it out on workers, who are also trying to deal with rising fuel thefts.  

The Petrol Retailers Association (PRA), which represents those in the industry, has criticised what it dubs the government's 'inflammatory language' on the issue. 

The organisation says it risks encouraging poor behaviour. 

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said this week officials are looking out for price gouging, when retailers exploit rising prices to make more profit. 

He said the government would intervene if drivers are being 'ripped off' at the pump. 

But the PRA has insisted retailers are not aiming to dupe customers in this way. 

In fact, it said many of them could be making a loss on diesel, the price of which has particularly increased. 

Despite this, the Competition and Markets Authority has said it is monitoring prices closely, after previously identify a lack of transparency and competition in the sector. 

The government body is likely to publish any findings in April. 

In the meantime, a new fuel finder app, which displays prices to drivers at more than 90 per cent of stations, has been launched to ensure a competitive fuel market. 

Mr Raven said he understands concerns around profiteering - but does not think retailers are partaking of it, especially as his own profit margin is only four per cent. 

He added he hopes the situation in the Gulf will soon settle so he can adjust his fuel prices and pass any savings immediately on to customers. 

As prices for fuel soar amid the conflict in the Middle East, there has also been a steep rise in the cost of heating oil. 

It means thieves are not just targeting petrol stations now but also oil tanks, with police warning the public to take precautions to protect their supply. 

Hundreds of people across the country have also struggled to get hold of heating oil in recent times, as distributors cancel orders en masse.