Four stops – one in York, two in Harrogate, the other yesterday (February 10) within two hours, made using many different registration plates, and Police said.
North Yorkshire police said the total amount of fuel worth £272 to £282 was taken at the filling station without payment.
The van was identified by the Force's ANPR (Automatic License Plate Recognition) hub.
A North Yorkshire police spokesman said: “As the ANPR hub stitched together the intelligence report, a suspicious vehicle (an old Ford Transit van) moved towards the Lancashire border.
“The patrol team found the vehicle, but the suspect fled and abandoned the vehicle. They retrieved the van.
“One of the people believed to be involved was a 5-foot-8-inch white man with a sturdy build, short hair, a black hat, dark jeans, white soles and a black t-shirt. It is described as a white man wearing a black sweatshirt and a black T-shirt. Burgundy jumper.”
North Yorkshire police are suing witnesses in the case and those who saw the man after abandoning the van.
The unit said the theft and time of the event was as follows:
6:30am – Sainsbury gas station in Huntington
8am – Tesco Express, High Street, Harrogate
8.12am – Sainsbury, Weatherby Road, Naresboro
8am – Esso petrol station on Wetherby Road, Harrogate
A Force spokesman said: “Please contact us if you have any information that will help you in your investigation.
“You can call North Yorkshire Police on 101 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or on its website.”
“When passing information, please quote reference 12250025123.”
