PETROL cheats have forced desperate garages to make customers pay in advance when they fill up their tanks.

The Jet garage on Oxford Road, Beaconsfield, makes customers pay before fuelling, especially at night.

The garage has a sign displayed which states that all customers must pay for their petrol before they begin to fill up their vehicle.

A spokesman at the garage, said: "There has been a spate of people coming in and not paying for their petrol at night."

The Esso garage, also on Oxford Road, revealed that it does not have a policy of making people pay in advance, but can if it feels a customer is acting suspiciously.

Kumar Vida, who works at the Esso station, said: "Sometimes we make people pay first, it depends on the people who come in the forecourt.

He added that all customers who do drive off without paying are recorded on CCTV and reported to the police.

The act of driving off without paying for fuel is known to garage-owners as forecourt bilking.

Police spokesman Kate Spark said: "This is a national problem rather than one specific to our area. We have visited a number of garages locally to give crime prevention advice and discuss any particular problems. We would welcome any measures that garages can take to help protect themselves."