A MAN who helped steal more than £1,350 worth of petrol from service stations across Stourbridge and Dudley has avoided jail.

Jamil Hart was a key member of a gang who filled up cans and canisters inside two vehicles bearing registration plates stolen from eight vehicles in Lye.

On one occasion the gang even put the garage fuel pipe through the window of one of the vehicles to fill up one of the large canisters.

But 19-year-old Hart was recognised by a woman working in a Stourbridge service station because of his distinctive bushy hair style and the police were immediately alerted.

The Vauxhall car he had been driving was then found in the area and it was full of plastic drums ready for the stolen fuel, Wolverhampton Crown Court was told.

The teenager was quickly detained and when questioned by police officers he told them he needed money to live on because he could not survive on his benefits.

He said the stolen petrol was sold and the money was used to buy food, said Jason Aris prosecuting.

Hart, of Chestnut Avenue, Dudley, admitted conspiracy to steal and also handling the stolen registration plates.

Judge Nicholas Webb gave him a six month custodial sentence, suspended for two years and ordered him to carry out 150 hours unpaid work in the community.

He told Hart, who had been held in custody for four days, he must obey a three month curfew order between the hours of 7pm and 7am.

Jas Mann, defending, told the court Hart had been in financial difficulties and he had foolishly involved himself in the conspiracy.

But he was now determined to put his life back onto the rails and make something of himself, he added.

The judge had been told the gang got away with petrol valued at £1,358 from a string of service stations.

At an earlier hearing 21-year-old Jabhar Ahmed, of Thornhill Road, Quarry Bank, also pleaded guilty to the same two charges and dangerous driving.

He was given a 12 month jail term, suspended for two years, placed on supervision for a year, told to carry out 180 hours unpaid work and banned from driving for two years.