SASKATCHEWAN – Fuel thefts were up 70 per cent in 2022 as compared to the year previous, according to provincial RCMP.
During 2022, RCMP received 818 reports of fuel theft, with 510 of those being “gas and dash” incidents. There were a further 117 reports of theft from large fuel tanks or heavy machinery, either through siphoning or drilling into the tank.
Another 106 reports were theft from bulk fuel tanks at businesses, farms or from rural municipalities. The remainder of fuel thefts were smaller, such as thefts of jerry cans.
Detachments reporting the highest call volumes of fuel thefts are Battlefords (61), Saskatoon (58), Shellbrook (46) and Swift Current (39).
“Reports of fuel thefts have continued in 2023, including two incidents of gas tank drilling reported to Punnichy RCMP on Feb. 27,” said RCMP in a media release.
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