RCMP say a “significant amount” of diesel was stolen from a central Alberta gas station last month — one of many such thefts in the province as diesel prices climb to historic heights. On Thursday, Olds RCMP released a photo of a large truck linked to the theft of diesel from the Westview Co-op Cardlock in Mountain View County. Mounties describe the truck as a triple-axle tanker with a two-tone red-and-white semi chassis (red hood and doors with white fenders) and a white tank. They say the theft happened between 3 and 3:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 23. Anyone who knows the identity of the driver or who may have dash-cam footage from the area at that time is asked to call Olds RCMP at (403) 556-3324. Last week, retail diesel topped $2.64 per litre on average, up 59 per cent from before the Iran war and 15 per cent from November 2022, which held the price record until this year. Supply disruptions caused by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz have shrunk energy output for seven months and counting, with the critical waterway effectively closed and many crude refineries slashing production. Due to the recent high-volume diesel fuel thefts in Alberta, RCMP are recommending that fuel stations install anti-siphoning devices into their ground-based tanks.
