Petrol thieves were nearly engulfed in a fireball as they tried to steal fuel from a forecourt - and set fire to their Mercedes. Dramatic CCTV clips captured the moment flames shot out of the back window of a black Mercedes. Footage showed a man casually leaning on the stolen black vehicle while filling up at the Esso petrol pump in South Harrow, north west London, on Thursday morning. But just seconds later the car dramatically exploded into flames - with a fireball blowing through the vehicle's back window.