Garages say they have seen a huge rise in the number of drive-offs by motorists struggling to keep up with soaring prices.

And staff at some forecourts say they have been subjected to abuse by drivers who blame them for the price hikes.

At least 700 petrol-related offences have happened since January – and many more have gone unreported.

Prices in Preston have now soared to a high of 123.9 per litre for unleaded and 136.9p for diesel as the price of oil continues to rocket.

Zak Patel, 32, a staff member at the Jubilee Service Station, Preston Road, Whittle-le-Woods, which serves about 40 cars a day, said: "Before you would just get the odd idiot doing it, but now it is about 5% of people.

"We get people coming in and asking why we keep putting the fuel up. We have had to tell them nicely to leave the shop when they have really gone overboard, swearing and shouting."

Joanne Gallagher, assistant manager at Petrol Express, Tag Lane, Ingol, said they even had to ban one man for being aggressive to staff during fuel strikes last month.

She added: "There was one where an assistant asked us to bar a man because he was abusive towards our staff and it was about the price of fuel.

"They sometimes think the price of petrol is our fault."

Adam Tams, assistant manager at Toll Bar garage, Scotforth Road, Lancaster, said: "I started here three or four years ago and we would never have a drive-off, but now it's one a week, maybe slightly more.

"When we had a drive-off it used to be for £5, now it is more like £40-50. There is a huge difference."

But he warned drivers they will be caught. Everyone who has tried to steal from the garage has been tracked down by police.

Paul Picket, a cashier at the garage, said: "You definitely get more attempts because of the frustration.

"I used to work at a motorway service station and a friend of mine who is still there says it has just gone absolutely silly with people doing this."

The owner of Tarleton Filling Station, near Preston, who gave his name as Mr Makam, added: "We have had £40-50 drive-offs. There are people sometimes arguing. They think we are making money but obviously that is not the case."

According to police figures for June, there have been 118 petrol-related crimes, although these include other incidents such as stealing from forecourt shops. In January there were 105.

Insp Darren Butterworth, of Preston police, said: "We treat everyone as though they have done it deliberately and we then have to get to the bottom of what has happened."

A police spokesman said traffic officers have noticed a rise in the number of reported incidents of fuel theft – known as 'bilking.'.

Hugh Bladon, of the Association of British Drivers, has urged motorists to remain calm.

He said: "I can quite understand motorists being angry but they should direct their anger at the Chancellor of the Exchequer. He could quite easily knock 10p a litre off the cost of fuel."

The Evening Post reported this month of growing fears among emergency crews that fuel costs could affect frontline services. And truckers carried out a 62-mile go-slow on the M6.

Tony Burridge, the Tarleton-based driver who organised the protest, said: "Driving off is totally wrong. It has nothing to do with the garages."

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