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.
“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.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Slovakia's populist prime minister shot in assassination attempt, shocking Europe before elections
The Slovak defence minister says doctors are fighting for the life of the country's prime minister, who was shot multiple times after a political event Wednesday afternoon.
Transport Canada's UFO 'lead' planned to meet with U.S. intel officials, called info requests a 'wild goose chase'
Canada's transportation department had a UFO 'lead' who tried to 'quell' media interest and planned to meet with U.S. intelligence officials.
'Very expensive lunch': Sask. driver handed a cell phone ticket for using points app in McDonald's drive-thru
A warning from a Saskatoon driver about using your fast-food app while in the drive-thru line — a trip to get some free lunch cost him a lot more than he bargained for.
'The Fly' has become notorious in France after a brazen escape. What's his criminal history?
A prisoner nicknamed “The Fly” has become notorious in France overnight after a daring and bloody escape from a prison convoy in Normandy that left two guards dead.
BREAKING Ontario's 'crypto king' Aiden Pleterski arrested
Aiden Pleterski, the self-proclaimed 'crypto king' from Whitby, Ont., has been arrested in Durham Region after allegedly running a Ponzi scheme worth more than $40 million.
BREAKING Barge hits a bridge in Texas, damaging the structure and causing an oil spill
A barge slammed into a bridge pillar in Galveston, Texas, on Wednesday, spilling oil into surrounding waters and closing the only road to a smaller and separate island that is home to a university, officials said. There were no immediate reports of injuries.
Person responsible for 1996 drugging of 'Titanic' crew likely not a local: Halifax police
Halifax Regional Police believe a non-resident could be responsible for the infamous drugging of numerous crew members of the 'Titanic' movie with a hallucinogenic in 1996.
Latest updates on the biggest wildfires burning in Canada
Thousands of people in Western Canada remain displaced from their homes as wildfires threaten their communities, triggering evacuation orders and alerts.
OPINION If you think you can’t focus for long, you’re right: Sandee LaMotte
Regaining your focus requires you to be mindful of how you are using technology -- a daunting task if you consider the average American spends at least 10 hours a day on screens.