WESTLOCK – Rising crime rates are putting extra strain on Westlock County's firefighting resources, with an uptick in calls related to stolen vehicles being torched, according to John Biro, manager of protective services for Westlock County.
During council’s operating budget discussions in December, Biro said that county firefighters have been responding to higher call volumes of stolen vehicles being disposed of in Westlock County and set on fire.
“We have a dumping zone east of Westlock,” said Biro. “That’s a big concern, vehicles that are being torched, RV’s, trailers, you name it.”
According to Cpl. Brad Schram, Westlock RCMP recovered 52 stolen vehicles in 2024. Of those, 12 were stolen from Edmonton, 10 from Westlock, and 30 from other RCMP detachment areas.
Of the recovered vehicles, six were burnt.
“Not all burnt vehicles were attended by the fire department as some were recovered after having being extinguished,” said Schram. “Of the burnt vehicles one had been stolen from Edmonton.”
In 2023, Westlock RCMP also recovered 52 stolen vehicles in the county. Nine of those were stolen from Edmonton, 13 from Westlock, and 30 were stolen from other RCMP detachment areas.
Of those, five were burnt, two of which were from Edmonton.
