Suspect in Area Cooking Grease Thefts Busted
Police: Suspect caught in Norwalk with van filled with vats of grease and a pump.
A Yonkers, NY man busted by Westport and Norwalk police on charges of stealing used cooking grease from a burger joint faces larceny-related charges in Greenwich.
According to a Greenwich Police report, they were contacted by Norwalk PD about 9:30 p.m. Feb. 21 that they had Andrew V. Carnegie, 38, in custody. Greenwich had obtained an arrest warrant charging Carnegie with sixth-degree larceny and third-degree criminal mischief in connection with an incident reported in Riverside on Jan. 10, according to the report. Greenwich Police said their charges stem from the theft of used cooking oil from Moe's burgers on East Putnam Avenue.
According to police in Norwalk, Carnegie was arrested in connection with the theft of grease following a call from employees of Five Guys Burgers and Fries on Tuesday. Police reports indicated that Five Guys employees turned in surveillance video of the white van backing up to the grease box in back of the franchise location. Employees notified police immediately, but did not appraoch the van or Carnegie, according to police.
The van which police said contained two 275-gallon containers and a gas operated Duromax pump, was towed to Norwalk police headquarters. Carnegie was charged with larceny and released to the custody of Greenwich Police after he posted a $5,000 bond for the Norwalk case.
In Greenwich, Carnegie was released after posting a $1,000 bond. He is scheduled to appear March 6 in state Superior Court in Stamford.
Last month, Greenwich Police said used cooking oil has become a popular target for thieves who siphon the liquid from restaurant storage tanks and then sell it for remanufacture into biodiesel fuel for cars and various manufacturing equipment. Used oil can fetch up to nearly $4 a gallon.
*Local editor Jason Grant contributed to this report.
** This story has been updated to indicate the location of the theft for which Carnegie has been charged.