Pair charged following diesel theft scam

Two men have been charged following a police investigation into a scam to steal diesel.
Carl Sunderland, 46, of Market Place, Rochdale, has been charged with five counts of making off without payment.

Ahmed Luqman, 24, of Friars Crescent, Kirkholt, Rochdale, has been charged with two counts of making off without payment and possession of cannabis.

They are due before Tameside Magistrates Court on Thursday 23 June 2011.

From Tuesday 15 March 2011, at least eight incidents were reported to Greater Manchester Police where the driver of a hired van filled up a container in the and drove off without paying.

Officers were also investigating the possibility the van’s number plate had been tampered with on each occasion.

Following a possible sighting of the van in Stalybridge at about on Friday 18 March 2011, an ANPR intercept team co-ordinated an operation to stop the van safely.