HOW many times was the wrong fuel put into a police vehicle in the past 15 months? Let’s find out.

Between May 19, 2024 and August 19, 2025, Devon and Cornwall Police recorded ten instances where the wrong fuel was put into the police vehicle tank, a Freedom of Information (FOI) request has revealed.

Whether it’s putting diesel in a petrol car or vice versa, this common mistake happens around once every three minutes in the UK, according to the RAC.

Unfortunately, this simple mistake can end up proving rather costly, as fuel systems may need to be completely replaced, though this is not always the case.

Putting petrol in a diesel car is far more serious than putting diesel in a petrol car.