MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. — Two men are facing charges after allegedly stealing used cooking oil valued at thousands of dollars, police reported on Friday.
Michael Cordones-Lopez, 24, and Patricio Cardones-Molina, 61, have been charged with fourth-degree burglary and three counts of theft for reportedly stealing approximately 20,000 pounds of used cooking oil from restaurants across the DMV area, according to the Montgomery County Police Department.
Officers on patrol in downtown Silver Spring around 2 a.m. Tuesday noticed a gray Ford E-350 van parked in an alley behind several restaurants. Police observed the suspects, wearing masks, inspecting grease dumpsters before driving away.
The officers followed the suspects to another alley behind the Fillmore Silver Spring on Colesville Road, where the men allegedly used a prybar to break into a locked grease dumpster.
“Officers witnessed the suspects siphoning used cooking oil from the dumpster into large tanks inside the van using a generator-powered pump,” MCPD said in a statement. The suspects then targeted another grease dumpster belonging to Amina Thai Silver Spring restaurant, removing additional oil.
As the suspects prepared to leave, police stopped the van and took them into custody. A search of the vehicle uncovered stolen oil and equipment used in the theft.
Used cooking oil is often sold by restaurants to companies that produce biodiesel fuel and other products. One victim told police the oil can sell for up to $2.38 per pound. Recent thefts in the area have totaled approximately 20,000 pounds, valued at an estimated $47,000.
Cordones-Lopez and Cardones-Molina were processed at the Montgomery County Central Processing Unit and later released on unsecured personal bonds.
