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NORWALK, Conn. A New York man was arrested by Norwalk police Tuesday in the theft of a valuable restaurant commodity grease.
Andrew Carnegie, 38, of Yonkers, pulled his white van up behind the Five Guys restaurant on Westport Avenue at about 11:45 a.m. and took grease in full view of a restaurant employee, Westport police Sgt. Lisa Cotto said. The employee got the license plate of the van, and Carnegie was apprehended a short while later by Westport Police.
Carnegie's van is equipped with two 275-gallon containers and a gas operated Duromax pump, Cotto said. The van was confiscated and was in the police headquarters parking lot Wednesday morning. The running board was coated with grease.
Carnegie's actions were recorded by a surveillance camera at the 420 Westport Ave. restaurant, Cotto said. Police were given the footage on a flash drive.
Police seized a tanker truck recently in connection with a series of grease thefts but did not arrest its occupants. "This is a new trend," Sgt. Mark Lepore said. Restaurants are paid 15- to 30-cents a gallon for grease, which is used to make bio-fuel, according to Lepore. Thieves can get $1.60 a gallon for the grease on the black market. Removing it doesn't take long with the right equipment.
Carnegie was charged with sixth-degree larceny. Bond was set at $5,000.
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