On Monday, May 13, a man was captured on CCTV filling up a Subaru at a Dunedin petrol station before fleeing without paying.
Footage confirmed the number plate as CDH967, but police inquiries revealed those plates had been stolen from another vehicle, Senior Sergeant Mark Crawford said.
The driver was believed to be Caucasian, with the vehicle described as a green Subaru station wagon with a scoop on the bonnet.
Snr Sgt Crawford said it was uncommon for people to steal number plates in order to steal petrol from a service station, and ''there is a big risk involved''.
On Wednesday, another petrol drive-off theft resulted in $110 of petrol being stolen from a Mosgiel service station.
The car involved was described as a dark-blue Subaru Legacy station wagon, which was carrying three people and a white Staffordshire bull terrier with a black patch on one eye.
The registration plate, FWZ382, had been stolen from a vehicle in Old Brighton Rd.
Snr Sgt Crawford said it was too early to say if the incidents were linked, but inquiries were continuing.
Anyone with information was urged to contact police on 471-4800.
