So where is all this illicit oil ending up? Biofuel companies, it seems, via the hands of criminals. Once processed, the stuff that fries your food becomes a substitute for diesel fuel. And with the price of gasoline going through the roof, used grease has become a hot commodity. The pricetag for a pound of it went from 8 cents before 2000 to 18 cents today, or as much as 45 cents after processing. One report has it that a gallon of grease goes for $4 "on the street."The increase in recycling has created new opportunities for both entrepreneurs as well as thieves. Not only are thieves stealing used restaurant grease, but also copper and scrap metals. Businesses with these kinds of valuable refuse are going to have to take measures to protect it or they're liable to find that a crook has "taken out the trash" literally.
Have you seen these types of thefts in your community? What measures have you found to be effective in combatting these types of crimes?
