Chippy and takeaway owners warned over ‘strange’ new crime trend
18.01.2022 - 20:39
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
Takeaway owners are being warned by police about a ‘strange’ new crime.
Police say they are seeing an increasing number of cases in which used cooking oil has been stolen from food venues.
It is estimated as much as a fifth of the used cooking oil produced in the UK is stolen and can be converted into unregulated biodiesel for the black market.
Derbyshire Police stopped and arrested two London men on the M1 in connection with the theft of cooking oil in Betws-y-Coed, Conwy, North Wales, in November last year.
The investigation was passed over to North Wales Police (NWP).
And the force has now warned that the crime, though not new, has recently developed into something of a “trend”, North Wales Live reports.
The NWP West Conwy Coastal posted on Facebook: “We have been made aware of a crime trend involving the theft of used cooking oil recently.
“Although this would seem a strange thing to steal, used cooking oil has value for things like biofuels and other purposes.
“We would ask all food outlets in the area to be alert for this type of crime.”
Used vegetable oil from commercial operators cannot be poured down the drains and must be collected by a waste carrier.
Often it is kept in large storage tanks at the back of premises which are then targeted by thieves.
Producing black market biodiesel from stolen edible oil can cost just a fraction of biodiesel made from legitimate oil.
However 'chip shop fuel' can damage modern diesel engines and can clog up vital components such as fuel injectors and emission control devices.
Police forces across the UK have reported recent rises in thefts involving organised gangs.
It is thought that stolen oil is being taken to the south of England for processing.
As a result, food