It was to be expected, gasoline thefts seem to be multiplying with the explosion of prices at the pump. On Monday afternoon, the liter rose to $2.26 in the Rivière-du-Loup region. Some gas stations are in solution mode, to avoid bailing out.
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The owners of Dépanneur Voisin in Saint-Antonin have decided to make prepayment mandatory. Motorists will have to pay before filling up, whether indoors or at the pump.
“The amounts are even bigger, it hurts more. Honestly, we have no more time to waste on this because we are short of manpower,” explains co-owner Sonia Simard.
Lack of staff exacerbates the problem. Employees have their hands full and are no longer able to constantly monitor customers and track the many thefts.
“Go search the cameras, fill out the police report, meet the policeman, it takes time. During that time, we don’t do our other chores. I’m happy, it’s going to make us have that less to manage, ”says a cashier, Jenny Caron.
Skillful thieves
“It’s almost impossible to monitor everything. There are people who are really good at it. They come, when there is a work overload, to be sure to leave without paying,” explains Sonia Simard.
And criminals have more than one trick up their sleeve to avoid getting caught.
“Even when the Sûreté collaborates with us, we are not able to recover most of the amounts,” she continues.
