N.B. police no longer respond to most gas theft reports, renew push for 'pay before you pump' legislation

Police in New Brunswick are no longer responding to ‘gas and dash’ reports unless there’s an immediate or ongoing threat to public safety.

The new procedures took effect last week, according to the New Brunswick Association of Chiefs of Police, representing the province’s nine municipal police chiefs and RCMP J Division commanding officer.

Association president Chief Gary Forward of the Woodstock Police Department said the move had been delayed for about a year, but was ultimately implemented with notice given to gas retailers in a March 25 letter.

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“Between 2020 and 2023 we had roughly 5,200 (gas theft) complaints in the province of New Brunswick and we’ve equated that to about 18,000 hours of follow-up, attendance, and investigative outcome,” said Forward in an interview. “With everything that is going on with public safety and certainly priority threats and risk to society, is this the best use of police resources and time for something that could arguably be preventable?”

The association is telling retailers to report fuel theft to police agencies that offer online services “similar to those retailers reporting shoplifting incidents.”

The association has also renewed calls for the provincial government to create ‘pay before you pump’ legislation for all gas stations.

“If the methodology was changed we could virtually eliminate this particular crime,” said Forward. “And it certainly is preventable.

“It is entirely possible and certainly expected that we could reduce this particular crime, see it gone in a very short period of time.”

No plans for legislation: Austin

In a written statement Friday afternoon, Public Safety Minister Kris Austin said the provincial government had no plans to introduce pre-pay legislation at gas stations.

The department did contact gas retailers last year (at the request of police chiefs) to encourage the creation of voluntary pre-pay procedures.

“I understand that every police force has to prioritize the many calls it receives. As well, calls to report thefts under $5,000, where the theft has already occurred and there are no witnesses, do not often result in an immediate response,” said Austin in the statement. “However, I'm disappointed that local police and RCMP would take this approach and will be following up with them for further discussion.”

The Convenience Industry Council of Canada said it didn’t have any comment at this time regarding the new response procedures or police calls for a pre-pay law.

A few gas stations in New Brunswick have recently implemented individual ‘pay before you pump’ policies during the late evening hours. ‘Card only’ gas pumps have also become more common at gas stations, at all hours of the day.

In 2008, ‘pay before you pump’ legislation was enacted in British Columbia following the death of a gas attendant who was killed trying to stop a ‘gas and dash.’ In 2017, a similar law was introduced in Alberta.

“I see the day when everywhere in Canada will have that same service protection in place, to stop this sort of thing from occurring,” said CTV public safety analyst Chris Lewis in an interview. “The police argument that the service stations themselves could take action that would prevent the theft and therefore prevent response, or eliminate police response is very valid, because they can.”

For more New Brunswick news visit our dedicated provincial page.