Criminal gangs raiding pubs and supermarkets for 'liquid gold' cooking oil

13 January 2024 , 16:43

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Police say oil theft is a big business for criminal gangs (Image: Getty Images)

Crime gangs are travelling across the country to steal cooking oil. Barrels of the stuff – mostly used – are swiped from pubs, restaurants and supermarkets to be recycled into biofuel.

Vegetable oil prices have doubled since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022 – as they are two of the biggest producers of sunflower oil. One gangland source said: “It is fast becoming liquid gold.”

Cops have issued warnings in London, Manchester, Derbyshire, North Wales, Yorkshire, Lancashire and Hampshire. And the crimewave has swept Europe, North America and Australia.

Last October gangs based in Enfield, North London, were caught targeting five pubs on the Isle of Wight by posing as agents collecting waste oil.

And staff at a Morrisons in Norwich stopped men from stealing drums. They turned out to be Bulgarians from Wood Green, North London, 100 miles away.

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The crimewave has reached the UK

Cooking oil can be recycled into biofuel (Getty Images)

Former Met detective Peter Bleksley said: “I estimate tens of millions of pounds worth has been taken. This will have a massive impact on trade.”

Another police source said: “It is a huge business to organised crime gangs. Food businesses need to up their game. It would not surprise me if we saw locks and chains on the product.”

In June, six people in France were arrested on suspicion of stealing 385 tonnes worth £500,000 in three months.

Isaac Crowson