Police: Man Arrested in Monmouth County on Black Friday for Stealing... Cooking Oil?

A Paterson man was arrested on the busiest shopping day of the year for stealing something most need on Thanksgiving - not the day after: loads of cooking oil, police said.

And it wasn’t just any old store brand cooking oil. According to Holmdel police, the man was caught with stolen oil that had come from multiple restaurants’ disposal bins.

At approximately 6:45 a.m. on Friday, November 28, Holmdel police were advised of a man seen behind Palumbo’s, a restaurant on Route 35. Upon arrival, Patrol Officer Brian O’Keefe saw a white Chevy van exiting the restaurant parking lot, according to Holmdel Police Lt. Michael Pigott.

Garcia-Martinez was allegedly found to be in possession of multiple containers of cooking oil, which appeared to have been stolen from multiple locations, according to Lt. Pigott. 

Garcia-Martinez was placed under arrest by Officer O’Keefe at the scene, and his van was impounded. He was processed at Holmdel Police headquarters and charged with Theft, Criminal Attempt of Theft, and Criminal Mischief.

Garcia-Martinez was then brought to the Monmouth County Correctional Institute in lieu of $10,000 bail.

An arrest is not a conviction, and every defendant is presumed innocent until found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.