In NB, the police no longer travel for gasoline thefts

New Brunswick police officers no longer go to gas stations for gasoline theft, due to the lack of success in investigations leading to charges. This decision creates unease among retailers who are seeing an increase in gasoline theft, faced with prices at the pump that continue to increase.

The New Brunswick Association of Chiefs of Police (NBACP) sent a notice on March 15 to the fuel retail industry informing them that effective April 15, police services would only be dispatched whether the incident poses an immediate threat to public safety.

A year before that, the Justice Department strongly suggested that dealers implement fuel prepayment.

In Caraquet, the manager of the convenience store needs notes that thefts have increased in the last month. gas at the moment, wants, doesn’t want, the cost of living has increased, we have more and more thefts of gas“,”text”:”With the increase in gas at the moment, want, don’t want, the cost of living has increased, we have more and more gas thefts”}}”>With the increase in gas at the moment, want, don’t want, the cost of living has increased, we have more and more thefts gassays Ryenne Pietrocupa.

$.”,”text”:”Before, it was about once a week, now it’s five to six times a week. It’s not small amounts, it can go up to $100.”}}”>Before, it was about once a week, now it’s five to six times a week. It’s not small amounts, it can go up to $100.

In Tracadie, the manager of the gas station Taylor PetroleumMartine Losier, is also worried. gas, we’re sure we’re going to make losses with that.”,”text”:”We don’t make a lot of profit on gas sales, we’re sure we’re going to make losses with that. “}}”>We don’t make much profit on the sales of gasit’s certain that we’re going to make losses with that.

She finds it distressing to see that the police will no longer respond to a complaint for the theft of gasoline, except in cases of danger.

At the societal level, it sends a message that, ultimately, it’s not that serious.she says.

Too many investigations for few results

L’ACPNB indicates that the number of flights has increased consistently during the last years. From 2020 to 2023, police officers from the municipal forces and the RCMP have received more than 5,200 complaints of fuel theft.

%, which means that only 6% of these complaints gave rise to prosecutions”,”text”:”The elucidation rate of these files is approximately 6%, which means that only 6% of these complaints gave rise to prosecutions”} }”>The clearance rate for these cases is around 6%, which means that only 6% of these complaints resulted in prosecutions.specifies Sonya Gilks, spokesperson for theACPNBexplaining that the evidence was not sufficient in most cases.

Sending a police officer to investigate gasoline theft, a criminal act that is completely avoidable, does not make sense to us.

Martin Gaudet, head of the Fredericton police force, believes that these investigations are laborious, for the few results.

Find [le suspect]seek a statement from the officer, then the officer needs to present it in court a few months later, this is not a good use of the legal system, or a police department, when it is a crime that is completely preventablehe said.

L’ACPNB estimates that police spent more than 18,000 hours investigating complaints of fuel theft.

Pay before filling

The association therefore recommends that retailers evaluate other options that involve prepayment at the pump, or to a cashier.

British Columbia and Alberta have legislation requiring prepayment before using at the pump. Ontario would consider doing the same. In these two provinces, fuel thefts have been virtually eradicatedunderlines Sonya Gilks.

Police Chief Matin Gaudet believes that it’s time to update.

We have a whole responsibility here in the province in terms of contributing to public safety and the use of emergency services and when we see an opportunity like that to say: ”now it’s time to change the way we it is believed”.

To this, the service station managers we met responded that these systems are expensive.

fuel will cost you”,”text”:”Businesses will have to find solutions to counter this, perhaps making customers pay in advance, which can be problematic when you don’t know how much fuel will cost you “}}”>Businesses will have to find solutions to counter this, perhaps making customers pay in advance, which can be problematic when you don’t know how much a fuel will cost yousays Martine Losier.

>>>>

Open in full screen mode

The convenience store manager needs in Caraquet finds it difficult to ensure continuous monitoring of the pumps, especially since this decision by the police. She feels left to herself.

gas”,”text”:”It’s causing us problems, because I have to watch all the time to make sure people don’t leave without paying for their gas”}}”>This causes us problems, because I have to watch all the time to make sure people don’t leave without paying their gassays Ryenne Pietrocupa.

The New Brunswick Association of Chiefs of Police specifies that it will still be possible for retailers to report fuel thefts to police forces who offer an online reporting service.

With information from Réal Fradette, Rémi Frenette and the show The morning