AN ORPINGTON man stole number plates from vehicles in Dartford and Swanley in order to steal more than £700 of diesel.

Adam Crowley, 49, of Market Meadow, used a company car he had not given back after being made redundant, to steal the fuel between January and November last year.

Crowley was arrested whilst stealing the fuel in west Kent after being clocked by an automatic number plate recognition team.

Pleading guilty to three counts of theft at Sevenoaks Magistrates Court on January 15, Crowley was given a supervised community order to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work.

He must also pay back £709.74 to petrol stations, pay £30 compensation to each of the four drivers he stole number plates from and pay £100 costs.