Red Deer RCMP are seeking public assistance after thieves made off with heavy bundles of steel tubing from a local company last weekend.
The break-in at Alberta Industrial Metals, 4821 78 Street, was discovered Monday but occurred sometime on Saturday or Sunday. Thieves broke into a locked compound and stole three bundles of square steel tubing weighing around 6,804 kgs (15,000 lbs), valued at over $9,000
One bundle contained 5 x 3-inch tubing that’s 3/16 of an inch thick, 48 feet long, and weighs approximately 5,440 pounds. The other two bundles contained 2 x 2-inch tubing that’s 1/8 of an inch thick and 24 feet long, with a combined weight of approximately 4,264 kgs (9,400 lbs).
RCMP believes the thieves used either a large truck with a three-ton deck , or a large truck with a trailer to transport these heavy materials. RCMP officers are looking for public assistance to identify any suspicious activity, including vehicles of this type that might have been seen in the area on May 6 or 7, or suspicious sales offers or purchases of steel tubing.
“This type of theft is so specialized, and requires heavy duty equipment to move, it’s likely the thieves had a specific client or market in mind for the tubing,” says Corporal Karyn Kay of the Red Deer RCMP.
She’s reminding the public that the purchase of any item, believed to be stolen, is a crime. “If you buy stolen property, you’re harming your community… you’re rewarding criminal activity and contributing to a spiral of increased property theft and other crimes… including stolen vehicles, drugs, weapons and violent crimes.”
Anyone with information should contact the Red Deer RCMP at 403-343-5575, or any other detachment. Those wishing to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477, or report it online at www.tipsubmit.com. If information leads to an arrest, you could be eligible for a cash reward up to $2,000.