Saskatchewan RCMP reports spike in fuel thefts in 2022

High gas prices may have fuelled a huge increase in thefts in Saskatchewan last year.

The Saskatchewan RCMP says it received 818 reports of thefts of fuel (diesel and/or gas) in 2022, an increase of approximately 70 per cent over numbers reported in 2021.

The Mounties said the total included:

• 510 reports of someone gassing up a vehicle at a service station and driving off without paying (excluding incidents when the person left without paying due to a misunderstanding or oversight);
• 117 reports of theft from large fuel tanks or heavy machinery, either by siphoning or drilling into the tank; and
• 106 reports of theft from bulk fuel tanks at businesses, farms, or rural municipalities.

The rest involved thefts of gas cans or similar containers.

The RCMP said the thefts came from across the province, with the highest numbers coming from the Battlefords (61), Saskatoon (58), Shellbrook (46) and Swift Current (39) detachments.

The RCMP shared some tips to help prevent similar thefts such as:

• Locking privately owned fuel tanks and ensuring the area they’re located in is well lit;
• Setting up video or photo surveillance in areas with a privately owned fuel tank;
• Parking vehicles in a locked garage or outbuilding or in well-lit, frequently visited locations;
• Parking with your fuel door facing a well-travelled road;
• Avoiding parking in one area, or leaving a vehicle unattended, for an extended period of time;
• Activating the vehicle’s alarm when the vehicle is left unattended; and
• Reporting suspicious activity to police, even if it doesn’t involve your vehicle.