Police in Kericho County have launched a manhunt for a motorist who refueled his car with Ksh8,000 worth of fuel and then sped off after paying only Ksh1.

Surveillance footage from the petrol station in Litein, Kericho County, captured the incident. The video shows the driver and a passenger stopping to refuel their vehicle. After fueling, the duo appeared to engage with the attendant and proceeded to pay through a mobile money wallet.

As the attendant was confirming the payment on her phone, the two quickly jumped into their white car and drove away. The incident occurred on Monday night at approximately 10:05 PM.

Incidents of motorists fleeing petrol stations without paying have been on the rise over the past year. In March 2024, Sikika Safety CEO Daniel Kiilu told Kenyans.co.ke that three such cases had been reported at different police stations in Nairobi.

The most significant incident this year occurred along Thika Road, where a motorist drove off without paying after ordering fuel worth Ksh13,000. Investigations revealed that some drivers were using switched number plates to avoid CCTV identification. In the Thika Road case, the plates on the Toyota Harrier were found to belong to a lorry.

"This is becoming a trend where motorists believe they can evade detection and bypass cameras installed at petrol stations," Kiilu stated.

Authorities are urging petrol stations to remain vigilant and for motorists to adhere to the law to avoid severe penalties.