A PETROL station has become such a target for thieves it accounts for more than 30 per cent of a village's crime. Budgens in Churchill accounted for 42 of the 128 crimes in the village over the past year. It has become a target for motorists driving off w

A PETROL station has become such a target for thieves it accounts for more than 30 per cent of a village's crime.Budgens in Churchill accounted for 42 of the 128 crimes in the village over the past year.It has become a target for motorists driving off without paying for petrol and people stealing cold meat and dairy products.PC Ray Bradley said around £20,000 had been spent on CCTV at the petrol station to catch motorists who break the law.He said: "Budgens is a target because it is the only 24-hour store on the A38 out of Bristol."The CCTV is of such high quality it's very easy to identify the motorist. We've yet to go to court with identification from CCTV evidence being challenged. People stealing cold meats are generally people from Bristol wanting money for drugs."But Budgens has employed an extra member of staff to monitor the cold meat aisle and this seems to have helped."I can't speak highly enough of the staff at Budgens who have really worked hard to improve this problem."Budgens manager Philip Tout said: "The extra member of staff is basically a nuisance to potential criminals. Hopefully they will get fed up with being caught and won't come here. There will always be a few who will try, but eventually word will get out.