Cheltenham Couple Charged Over Stealing “Thousands Of Dollars” Worth Of Fuel

South Australia Police have charged a Cheltenham couple over fuel thefts, allegedly using a modified 1,000-litre fuel tank to steal petrol worth thousands of dollars. 

A 28-year-old woman and 33-year-old man have been stealing petrol since August 2022 from several service stations. 

A police spokesperson said: “thousands of dollars worth of fuel was pumped into the van, jerry cans and tanks located inside the van, and then paid for utilising an app and fraudulently obtained credit card details”. 

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Instead of driving off without payment, the pair fraudulently obtained credit card details to pay for the fuel via an app. 

Officers seized a “specifically modified” white Toyota Hiace van and two gel blasters at the Cheltenham address.  

Police said they were investigating 90 individual reports of “systematic” petrol thefts across the metropolitan area. 

The couple was charged with multiple counts of taking off without payments, possessing a firearm without a licence, and breach of bail. 

They were refused police bail and appeared in the Port Adelaide Magistrate Court on Monday this week. 

The man was remanded in custody and will re-appear on May 10, while the woman was bailed to re-appear in court on April 3. 

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