Overview
- Police arrested 18-year-old Jassiel Benitez Diaz and two Worcester juveniles after responding to a Saturday morning report of people siphoning oil from restaurant storage on Cox Court in Beverly.
- Officers found a rental van with a large hose, a pump and three liquid storage tanks and recovered about $2,750 worth of used cooking oil tied to two nearby businesses.
- A neighbor first spotted the activity and the restaurant owner confirmed it by reviewing remote surveillance footage before calling police, which allowed officers to catch the suspects on scene.
- Law enforcement and industry officials say thefts have risen because used cooking oil now sells as feedstock for biodiesel and related fuels, increasing the commodity’s resale value.
- Owners of the targeted restaurants plan to lock or move outdoor grease containers and police warn that other businesses should add locks, cameras and quick reporting to reduce the risk of repeat thefts.