New York Men Caught Stealing Cooking Oil From Ellington Restaurant

ELLINGTON, CT — A pair of New York residents were arrested Tuesday after the owner of an Ellington restaurant saw them siphoning used cooking oil through a hose into a large tank in the back of an unmarked van.

Around 5:38 a.m., the restaurateur called state police to report seeing the men behind his establishment pumping oil into the white van. He stayed on the phone with police and provided updates on the vehicle's location.

Troopers located the van attempting to merge onto Interstate 84 westbound in Vernon and stopped it on the on-ramp. The van operator was identified as Jonat Gutierrez Rosario, 34, and the passenger was Ronald Gutierrez-Sant, 29.

Gutierrez-Sant explained they were traveling home to New York, but would not answer troopers' questions as to where they were coming from. Troopers made contact with the restaurant owner, who confirmed the vehicle and its occupants were the same as he had observed behind his business siphoning the oil, police said.

Investigation led to discovery of a large white oil tank in the rear compartment of the van which occupied its entire width. The tank was estimated to be about three-tenths filled, police said.

According to Forbes Business Insights, the global used cooking oil market size was $7.09 billion in 2023, and is projected to grow to $7.54 billion in 2024.

Each man was charged with possession of burglar's tools, second-degree criminal trespass and fourth-degree larceny. Bond was set at $100,000 apiece.