Petrol thief drives off without paying SIX times in less than 24 hours at Northampton garages

Magistrates jailed a driver for a third time in 18 months after hearing he stole petrol worth more than £600 in SIX visits to Northampton garages in less than 24 hours.

Chase Talbot had already driven off without paying £103.76 from a filling station in Brackley at 3.03pm November 1 when he did it again at the Esso station in Wellingborough Road at 9.15pm on the same day — and five more times on November 2.

Talbot was sentenced to 40 weeks at Northampton Magistrates’ Court earlier this month after admitting seven charges of theft, six of driving while disqualified, and one of possessing cocaine. Court documents showed he was already serving a driving ban and he had been released from prison for similar offences just weeks earlier.

Magistrates said Talbot, of St Leonard’s Road in the town, has a “flagrant disregard for court orders”.

The 35-year-old was sentenced to 32 weeks in June 2022 for fuel thefts and 18 weeks in April 2021 for taking vehicles without consent.

Talbot drove off without paying £56 for petrol at the Esso garage on Wellingborough Road at 6.20am on November 2 — and again just two hours later, this time stealing fuel worth £139.48.

He also visited the BP filling station on Abington Avenue twice — at 4.15pm and 6.30pm taking petrol worth £93 and £157.64 — in between calling at Morrisons in Kettering Road at 5.25pm where the unpaid bill was £94.64. He was caught on camera each time, leading to charges of driving while disqualified.

Talbot was also banned for another 12 months, until November 2023.