Two men face charges in connection with the theft of oilfield equipment from well sites in the Clive area.
They were arrested by Edmonton Police Service after allegedly trying to sell two stolen gas flow meters to an Edmonton oilfield equipment company on April 25.
Scott Pattison, Edmonton police spokesperson, said Red Deer Rural RCMP contacted Edmonton police with information to track down the stolen meters, each worth $2,500.
“When they searched their vehicles, they found a set of bolt cutters, and a detailed map with pump houses circled from the Blackfalds area that the meters had been stolen from,” Pattison said on Thursday.
Police allegedly connected the pair to about 10 stolen meters.
Meters recovered from the Edmonton equipment company were stolen at night from Santonia Energy Inc. well sites.
Gary Poirier, vice-president of production with Santonia, said the latest rash of equipment thefts from his sites occurred on March 27, April 3 and 25.
“This has been going on for a long time over the years.
“Normally we just find out the equipment has been stolen and there’s no trail,” Poirier said.
“Over the past five years, we’ve lost approximately $150,000 worth of equipment.”
He said the thieves knew what they were doing because the equipment was taken off live wells in production.
“We’re very grateful to both the RCMP and Edmonton Police Service and their prompt action to track that equipment and makes arrests in this case,” Poirier said.
Dan Linden Lubbers, 24, of Clive and Warren Thomas Paterson, 27, of no fixed address, are both charged with theft over $5,000 and possession of break and enter tools.
szielinski@www.reddeeradvocate.com