A New Meaning to “Greasy Thieves”

Someone once said that the true sucess of anything can be measured by how much crime stems out of it- and apparently alternative fuel is no exception. A new job among the criminal population has recently emerged: the grease theif.

With the demand for biodiesel on the rise, the market value of the type of grease used to make it has skyrocketed in recent years. Therefore, “grease bandits” are stealing fry grease from restaurants and purifying centers in order to sell it back to biodiesel producers.

The type of grease, called “yellow grease,” (creative, we know) is the by-product left over when restaurants cook food in vegetable oil or animal fat in large-capacity fryers. (Yummmmyy)

Rendering facilities, which are located in 20 states, have begin locking up thier grease, but it does little to stop professional grease-thieves, who bend the tops of steel storage bins and “slurp” up the fat with thin stingers attached to hoses.

The increased demand for biodiesel has caused the price of yellow grease to triple in recent years, and it is now up to 32 cents a pound. A theft of 5,000 gallons can be worth several thousand dollars.

It seems McDonald’s may be fated to play a part in the green revolution after all…