Fuel theft is theft, and it can be dangerous
On a damp October morning, a man rides an all-terrain vehicle up to a gas station in Norris Arm, N.L. with two jerry cans. He fills the vehicle and the containers with gas and brazenly drives away without paying. Fortunately, this station is outfitted with video surveillance, which will help law enforcement with investigations.
[Photo: RCMP have released this photograph of an October, 2018, fuel theft suspect in Norris Arm, N.L. and are asking the public to phone 709-535-8637 with any tips.]
Some incidents are larger in scale, including a pair of 2016 heists targeting Alberta cardlocks, in which $53,000 worth of fuel was stolen. And some incidents are simply tragic, like the death of fuel station employee Ki Yun Jo in Thorsby, Alberta who chased the thief who is now charged with second-degree murder.
Solutions have been proposed to counter the problem
Canadian Fuels partnered with Calgary Police Service, Canadian Western Convenience Stores Association, Calgary Co-op, and the Canadian Independent Petroleum Marketers Association (CIPMA) to launch an awareness campaign in 2014 to stress the fact that stealing fuel is theft and has serious legal consequences. The Calgary work built off an earlier initiative in the Greater Toronto area in which we partnered with Crime Stoppers, CIPMA and the Ontario Convenience Store Association.
Our recent blog post on design improvements, such as video surveillance, shows some of the physical details that go into ensuring safety in general at modern fuelling stations. Theft prevention best management practices of members include risk audits, enhanced vigilance by attendants coupled with effective employee training, and selective use of prepayment. Prepayment is typically required during certain hours, at outside pump islands and in other circumstances identified through risk audits.
Earlier this year, Alberta followed British Columbia’s lead in implementing mandatory prepayment at gas pumps.
[Alberta Labour Minister Christina Gray and Edmonton Police Deputy Chief Brian Simpson. Photo Credit: Government of Alberta].
In an interview, Trent Bancarz of Government of Alberta Labour spoke of a balance between implementing the safety measure and respecting the needs of business owners: “Retailers are not required to upgrade their pumps with new technology. There are multiple options available at little to no cost, including having customers pay the attendant before fueling or preauthorizing credit cards.”
Bancarz adds that the 10 to 15 pumps in the province that cannot be controlled by an attendant belong to owners who are negotiating alternate arrangements with the province. And although it’s still early, Alberta has no fuel theft incidents since implementing the new regulation.
Whatever the strategy, there is one point of agreement in the debate of what to do about fuel theft: fuel theft is theft, and it can be dangerous.
Related:
Canadian Fuels Association – Health and Safety
5 ways Canada’s fuels industry puts health and safety first
Close to Home, part 2: How smart urban planning can improve transportation and boost growth
