POLICE are on the hunt for a sly fuel thief who popped up in Alloa at the weekend.

In an attempt to avoid detection, the suspect pinched a set of license plates from a parked car, attached them to his own, filled up his tank and drove away without paying.

The two thefts are said to have taken place between 2-3pm on Saturday, June 4.

The number plates were stolen from a car that had been parked behind the Iceland in Alloa.

The sneaky culprit, described only as a bald male, is then believed to have swapped the plates with his own and made his way to the Morrisons' petrol station nearby.

He then filled his blue Volkswagen with around £50 worth of diesel and made off without paying.

Staff then called the police who reviewed the CCTV footage and traced the number plates.

However, after initial inquiries, it became apparent that the registered owner of the plates was not the person observed in the security tape.

The owner then noticed those license plates had been taken from her own car at some point that afternoon.

Police in Alloa are asking anyone with any information, or those who were at Iceland or Morrisons on Saturday afternoon and who may have seen the culprit, to get in touch.

A police spokesperson said: "Between 2-3pm on Saturday afternoon, a set of number plates were removed from a vehicle in the car park behind Iceland.

"Then at approximately 3pm, a small blue Volkswagen displaying those plates obtained around £50 of diesel without paying at the filling station at Morrisons on Clackmannan Road.

"The driver of the car is described as a bald male. Members of the public who has any information regarding this incident is urged to contact police."

Anyone wishing to contact Alloa Police Office can call 101. Alternatively, information can also be passed anonymously to the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.