اخبار العرب-كندا 24: الاثنين 29 أبريل 2024 06:12 صباحاً
Police forces across New Brunswick are no longer investigating fuel thefts unless they involve violence or other crimes.
Police cite an increase in reported thefts, the time spent on cases that result in few charges, safety risks, and how the crime can largely be prevented by requiring customers to pre-pay at gas stations.
"In effect, if there is a fuel theft through the conventional, traditional methodology that some retailers continue to employ, then police would not be responding to those matters," Gary Forward, Woodstock's police chief and president of the New Brunswick Association of Chiefs of Police, said in an interview.
A March letter to retailers announced the decision by all police forces across the province that took effect April 15.
Gary Forward, president of the New Brunswick Association of Chiefs of Police, shown here in a file photo, says there were more than 5,200 reports of fuel theft to the association's member police forces between 2020 and 2023. (Jacques Poitras/CBC)
Several gas station managers who spoke to Radio-Canada and CBC expressed concern about the decision.
Martine Losier is worried the decision will result in further losses.
"At the societal level, it sends a message that, deep down, it's not that serious," Losier, manager of the Taylor Petroleum gas station in Tracadie, told Radio-Canada.
CBC requested an interview with Public Safety Minister Kris Austin about the decision by police forces, but he did not provide one.
Martine Losier, manager of the Taylor Petroleum gas station in Tracadie. (Radio-Canada)
In a statement Friday, Austin said he understands police need to prioritize calls and that some reported crimes don't have witnesses.
"However, I'm disappointed that local police and RCMP would take this approach and will be following up with them for further discussion," Austin said in the statement.
WATCH | CBC Explains: How gas theft is putting the squeeze on retailers:
Police are lobbying the province to enact legislation to require retailers to have pre-pay or pay at the pump systems.
Legislation in Alberta has been in effect since 2018 and in British Columbia for almost two decades. The B.C. law was brought in after a gas station worker was killed in 2005 trying to stop a fleeing motorist from stealing $12 worth of gas.
Austin on Friday said the province has no plans to enact similar legislation and said the decision will be left with retailers. Last year, Austin wrote to retailers suggesting they change to pre-pay systems.
In Alberta and B.C., Forward says fuel theft has been "virtually eliminated."
"If the public is looking to say, 'What is the best use of police resources?' I think there are very few crimes out there that could be this easily identified as preventable," Forward said.
"Certainly for those retailers that have made the switch, we've had no issues. So I think the better question is what more can police do, with the available resources, where matters do require police attention. That's where we want to focus our efforts."
18,000 hours of investigation
Forward said there were more than 5,200 reports of fuel theft to the association's member police forces between 2020 and 2023.
He said police spent about 18,000 staff-hours investigating, but only about six per cent of cases were solved with a charge, because of insufficient evidence.
"In some cases the police kind of fell into the role of almost a collection agency and in returning the individuals and placing them back in touch with the retailers, retailers elected not to proceed with charges."
Forward said retailers can still report fuel thefts to police forces that allow online crime reporting, but the information will only be used for statistics and trend analysis.
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