Fuel theft has been a common issue faced by lorry drivers for a number of years, and rising prices at the pump appear to be encouraging even more attempts to steal diesel from trucks.
As has been seen on multiple occasions, many of these thieves are determined and will steal anywhere from anyone.
Unfortunately, one of the latest victims of the crime happens to be from Kharkiv, which has been subjected to repeated shelling and bombing for days now. The lorry driver must have been in severe stress before the theft, and when the Belgian police arrived on the scene, the trucker was said to be “clearly upset”.
The fuel theft occurred at a lorry parking area on the A58 by the Kriekampen Oirschot petrol station.
Writing about the incident on Instagram yesterday, the Belgian police stated:
“A Ukrainian driver who had spent the night in his truck discovered this morning that no less than 400 litres of diesel had been taken. The driver from Kharkiv in Ukraine was clearly upset. Not only because his diesel was stolen, but because he was very concerned about his compatriots in Ukraine.”
In the comments below the post, Instagram users understandably expressed their anger over the theft and their willingness to support the driver.
On a more positive note, since the invasion of Ukraine started, there has also been huge willingness among the haulage industry to help Ukrainian drivers, residents and refugees. Some companies have provided free food and parking as well as lifts to airports, while others laying on trucks to provide humanitarian aid to people inside Ukraine as well as refugees.
