CALGARY (CBC) - Asphalt thieves are not on the loose in southern Alberta, say RCMP, who blame staff turnover for a false crime report.

Last week, police in Taber said thieves took almost 1,000 tonnes of the used paving material from just outside Bow City. The material is worth about $25 to $30 for a little less than a tonne.

A front-end loader or excavator would have been needed to load the asphalt onto a tractor-trailer or other large truck, police said at the time.

On Tuesday morning, RCMP said the asphalt was legitimately removed from the site by a contractor.

"The report of theft arose due to mis-communication between Alberta Transportation, the contractor and municipal governments, brought about in part because of employee turnovers," police said in a press release.