Judging from the number of stories we've written on the matter, dozens of people have had their bank accounts raided after filling up at forecourts in Leamington, Kenilworth and Hatton.

And yet there is a curious sense of complacency from the authorities. If thefts were committed on such a scale in, say, Jephson Gardens, the response would surely be far greater.

Shell generally issues bland, hand-washing statements on the matter. The police response is even worse: we were told a few weeks ago that they were reluctant to comment because doing so would "single out Shell" for criticism.

Since when has it been the police's job to protect the reputation of the most profitable company in British history (£13.9 billion last year)? And why would it be wrong to single out Shell when it almost always is Shell?


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This is crime on a global scale, with rumours of links to terrorism and Tamil separatists.

It's obviously too big for Warwickshire Police to handle, and we are assured that an anti-fraud unit in London is investigating - but it's evidently doing nothing to stop the continued siphoning of cash from innocent people, whether from cash machines or tills.

We can only hope that there is much more going on than we know. There'd better be.

* Somewhere in Leamington, Nick Faldo is in his prime, chipping expertly from the bunker. Nearby, Robin Smith plays a deft sweep for England, while a lithe Ian Wright bears down on goal for Arsenal.

Yes, somewhere in Leamington it's always 1994. That place is the bookie's on the corner of High Street and Church Terrace. Its windows have evidently remained marvellously unrenewed for 14 years.

Perhaps it still offers odds on John Major resigning, or on Bulgaria winning the World Cup, or on whether Rednex would beat East 17 to be Christmas number one.

It's still not clear what the 1990s were all about - but judging from all that, they were rubbish.