Oil company hopes to cap thefts

A Canadian oil company is seeking the public's help after thefts of property worth nearly $1 million last year from remote oil facilities on the Alberta-Saskatchewan border.

Theft has always been a problem at construction sites, but now enterprising criminals are raiding the oil well sites, usually late at night.

Graham White, spokesperson for Husky Energy, told CBC News that the thieves have targeted dozens of their facilities near Lloydminster in the hunt for copper tubing and wire. Both are easy to resell.

In addition to stepping up patrols, the company is going public.

"We've taken out advertisements in local newspapers in order to increase the public's awareness, but also to offer a $5,000 reward for information that leads to conviction," said White.

The RCMP has started an investigation and is increasing patrols.

But Sgt. Brad Keading said the best way to catch the criminals is for the public to be on the lookout.

"It is difficult, of course, to be everywhere at every time, so we do depend on tips from the public when they see suspicious activity, especially in the remote sites," he said.

The thieves also seem to know their way around the oil facilities.

"It takes some knowledge, at least of the site or the operations, in order to separate the copper from the chemicals and from the facility, so again, they're fairly organized thefts," said White.

Anyone with information about these thefts is asked to call the RCMP or Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).