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Nazareth, Pa., United States

Thursday, June 07, 2012

Used Cooking Oil Being Stolen From Local Restaurants

David Gentile
Not all that long ago, restaurants had to pay to have used cooking oil hauled away. But with a rising demand for biofuel, it's become a valuable commodity. Companies like Valley Proteins pay 45 cents a pound, sending out tanker trucks for periodic pick-ups. But thieves are sending out tanker trucks, too, or barrels in the back of a van, according to a private investigator. He warned Northampton County police chiefs, at their June 6 meeting, that these thefts are occurring here in the Lehigh Valley. While most of the theft is coming from Valley Protein competitors, the Philadelphia Joint Terrorism Task Force is still concerned.

David Gentile, a private investigator and former FBI agent hired by Valley Proteins, provided police chiefs with a list of local restaurants that have empty tanks. Because these thefts occur in the middle of the night, most establishments are unaware of them. But from the Yu Garden to the Olive Garden, the tanks are dry. In fact, that's what Valley Proteins tankers have discovered at 24 Northampton County restaurants, from downtown Bethlehem to Bath.

According to the Joint Terrorism Task Force, used cooking oil has been converted to bio diesel and mixed with fertilizer to create explosives.

In March, Solebury Towsnship police arrested Mohamed Brahmi and Khalil Hamayel for the theft of a large amount of used cooking oil from a Bucks county restaurant. They were transporting the material in a 2003 Ford Econoline. That case is still pending.

An Allentown FBI agent, who attended the meeting, stated this kind of theft has become a "national problem."

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

So everything has to involve the feds. I suspect that someone is using or selling or storing it for their diesel engines. With real unemployment over fifteen percent I would not be surprised.

Anonymous said...

Bernie
What do the restaurants do with the old oil?

Anonymous said...

Have they checked the Genco Olive Oil Company?

Anonymous said...

drill baby drill

Anonymous said...

JOKE!

Anonymous said...

Wring out Pawlowski and you'll drown in the ethical oil slick. Cheaper than 220 mil.

Bernie O'Hare said...

"What do the restaurants do with the old oil?"

They store it, usually in a tank outside the restaurant. Could be a 55 gallon drum. Could be something even larger. At one time, they had to pay to have the oil taken away. But now, companies like Valley Proteins pay the restaurants to take the oil away. It's easy to steal, and the theft goes unnoticed until Valley Proteins or some other outfit notices the tanks are always empty.

Anonymous said...

This is like the 50's there's a Communist everywhere.

Bernie O'Hare said...

I'd tend to think that myself, except these are real thefts. I would not jump to the conclusion that someone who steals used cooking oil is a terrorist. But it would be foolish not to recognize the potential for real mischief. Unlike the '50s, this is a group that brought down two major buildings, killed 6,000 people in America and continues to engage in acts of random violence.

Anonymous said...

The process to convert to diesel isn't all that simple and not a garage scale project.

Maybe the attempt to create a fuel based explosive has been tried, but it seems a lot easier to just buy diesel at the pump.

I really think it's good old theft of the oil to resell.

Bernie O'Hare said...

That's probably 99.9% of it.

Anonymous said...

probably a plot by gracedale union goons

Bernie O'Hare said...

this comment was likely posted by one of them.

Anonymous said...

This is probably restaurant employees trying to make an extra buck.

It's no big deal.

Anonymous said...

What do you think that taco you are eating was boiled in?

Anonymous said...

The real story should be...Our tax dollars are being stolen!

Anonymous said...

Grease is the word...