Police Probe Theft of Cooking Oil at Bedford Businesses

A New Jersey-based company that disposes of used cooking oil and contracts with several Bedford businesses says dozens of gallons have gone missing, according to officials.

Bedford Police are investigating the complaint, which came in March 26. It's likely the crimes occurred over several months, Lt. Jeffrey Dickan said.

Recyclable items such as copper pipes and heavy-duty wire and cable have long been targets of thieves, but recently, cooking oil has been sought after, too.

The waste cooking oil was missing from a handful of businesses, including the Bedford Diner, Kicho and Nino's Restaurant, according to officials. It's typically stored outside in gallon drums. 

Bedford Police were unable to provide a value for the missing material.

According to Greenwich CT police Lt. Kraig Gray, where $600 worth of cooking oil was stolen this winter, the used cooking oil is processed into biodiesel fuel for cars and various manufacturing equipment.

Three Rhode Island men were indicted by a federal grand jury in December 2012 for allegedly stealing used cooking oil valued at $430,000 from hundreds of restaurants in Rhode Island and Massachusetts and selling it to a New Hampshire company to make biofuel.

Closer to home, in the wake of reports of a rash of thefts of cooking oil from storage containers at local businesses, Orangetown police in January charged a Long Island man in connection with the theft of $334 worth of cooking oil in Orangeburg. The cooking oil crime spree has .

Bedford oficials say the investigation is ongoing.

Patch editors Bill Demarest, Barbara Heins, Mark Schieldrop and Lanning Taliaferro contributed to this report.