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Dianna Seifert, manager of Shari's Restaurant at Delta Park, dumps grease in a bin behind
the restaurant in in Portland, Ore.
the restaurant in in Portland, Ore.
High Fuel Prices Spur Theft of Restaurant Grease
May 30, 2008 05:58 PM
High oil prices have prompted thieves to steal used fryer grease from restaurants and convert it to biodiesel.
30-Second Summary
There’s a new crime wave sweeping the United States: fryer grease theft.
With the spike in gas prices around the country, and a new focus on alternative fuels, people are seeing opportunity in the used fryer grease restaurants discard.
Biodiesel, an alternative fuel, can be manufactured from vegetable oils and animal fats. “Fryer grease has become gold, said one restaurant owner. And just over a year ago, I had to pay someone to take it away.”
Suspects in grease theft cases include environmentally-conscious people (biodiesel is biodegradable), waste management firms trying to beat out their competition and people making money off high oil prices in the black market.
“It seems that no type of fuel—and no amount—is safe these days,” according to The Boston Globe. Fuel thefts are hard to investigate because there’s seldom much evidence for authorities to go on.
High fuel prices have spurred multiple types of theft. In Bangor, Maine, authorities are facing a rash of cases involving drive-offs from gas stations, and instances where fuel has been siphoned cars, semi trucks and construction equipment.
“People are either using the fuel themselves and it’s gone, or they are selling it cheap,” one sheriff said. Law enforcement officials say the problem could get worse if fuel costs continue rising.
As for the grease problems, authorities don’t have any national statistics to determine if this is a serious matter or a problem that will fade with time.
With the spike in gas prices around the country, and a new focus on alternative fuels, people are seeing opportunity in the used fryer grease restaurants discard.
Biodiesel, an alternative fuel, can be manufactured from vegetable oils and animal fats. “Fryer grease has become gold, said one restaurant owner. And just over a year ago, I had to pay someone to take it away.”
Suspects in grease theft cases include environmentally-conscious people (biodiesel is biodegradable), waste management firms trying to beat out their competition and people making money off high oil prices in the black market.
“It seems that no type of fuel—and no amount—is safe these days,” according to The Boston Globe. Fuel thefts are hard to investigate because there’s seldom much evidence for authorities to go on.
High fuel prices have spurred multiple types of theft. In Bangor, Maine, authorities are facing a rash of cases involving drive-offs from gas stations, and instances where fuel has been siphoned cars, semi trucks and construction equipment.
“People are either using the fuel themselves and it’s gone, or they are selling it cheap,” one sheriff said. Law enforcement officials say the problem could get worse if fuel costs continue rising.
As for the grease problems, authorities don’t have any national statistics to determine if this is a serious matter or a problem that will fade with time.
Headline Links: ‘Bio-thieves’
As biodiesel becomes more valuable, thieves are stealing restaurant grease to make the fuel themselves. Conversion kits to turn grease into biodiesel are available on the Internet. Some people have been caught with hundreds of gallons of stolen grease in their possession; some thefts are worth thousands of dollars.
Source: New York Times
Grease thieves are hurting business for people who haul used grease away from restaurants for a living. The problem has gotten so bad that restaurant owners are considering installing security cameras to discourage stealing. Once thought of as just trash, used grease is now worth money.
Source: Toronto Star
Background: Consequences of high fuel prices
As prices rise at the gas pump, some urban policy experts predict a “painful shift” for America away from its beloved car-powered suburban culture of shopping malls, subdivisions and box retailers. Some say suburbs could become ghost towns.
Source: findingDulcinea
Law enforcement officials in Bangor, Maine have noted a rise in gas and heating oil thefts as fuel prices continue to go up. Crooks are siphoning gas from cars, school buses and construction equipment, and draining oil out of heating fuel tanks.
Source: The Boston Globe
Reference: Biodiesel; vegetable oil as fuel
Biodiesel is an alternative fuel made from renewable resources like soybeans. While it doesn’t contain any petroleum, it can be mixed with petroleum, forming a biodiesel blend. Because it’s biodegradable, biodiesel is easier on the environment.
Source: The Official Site of the National Biodiesel Board
Driving Alternative Fuel Home, a feature in FindingDulcinea's Netcetera section, examines the phenomenon of using vegetable oil, among other substances, as fuel.
Source: findingDulcinea
Related Topics: Other surprising thefts
With U.S. home foreclosures on the rise and the price of metals reaching record highs, the incidence of copper pipe thefts has increased dramatically. The problem has gotten so bad that at least 15 states have drafted legislation, which includes tighter regulations on scrap metal traders and tougher penalties for metal theft, to deal with the issue.
Source: findingDulcinea
The “Garden Gnome Liberation Front” has made a name for itself over the years for stealing dozens of garden gnomes. After one strike, the group left behind a demand that garden gnomes “be released into their natural habitat.”
Source: CNN
© 2010 Dulcinea Media, Inc.
