Three Hills RCMP have made an arrest related to multiple break and enters to oil and gas sites where large amounts of wire had been stolen.
Oilfield theft has become a real concern for companies and law enforcement in the area. Equipment, tools and raw materials, like copper, have become a target for thieves wishing to make a quick buck.
Seven months of investigation led to the arrest of a man on June 12 of this year.
The alleged break and enters happened between December 2012 and February 2013.
The investigation involved RCMP members from a number of detachments as well as the Red Deer Forensic Identification section.
Stephen Barnes, 39, of Red Deer has been charged with eight counts of break and enter. He appeared before a Justice of the Peace for judicial release but remains in custody awaiting bail. He is scheduled to appear July 3 in provincial court in Drumheller.
The Mail reported in March of 2011 how the RCMP have begun to work more closely with industry partners to step up patrols of oil and gas sites.