Cost of illegal petrol-stretching more than €3m this year

The combined cost to victims of illegal petrol-stretching operations could be more than €3m this year alone, according to figures obtained by the Irish Examiner.

The Society of the Irish Motor Industry said it received more than 800 reports of petrol stretching this year, the majority of these reported in the second half of 2014.

Average repair costs are between €2,500 and €4,000 per car, indicating national figures of between €2m and €3m so far this year.