A West Midlands haulage company has said thieves are motivated by rising fuel prices after they stole 400 litres of diesel.
Martin Pinches, director of M Pinches & Sons Ltd in Worcester, said the fuel was stolen from two vehicles at the weekend.
"[It happened] because of the price of fuel," he claimed, adding that it was "an added cost that everyone has been burdened with."
Pinches said fuel had become "liquid gold" and estimated the missing diesel was worth about £800.
Because we're a business, and we use more fuel, it's a bigger burden on us really," he added.