Cops make two more arrests in cooking oil thefts in Riverhead

Riverhead Police have made arrests in three other used cooking oil larcenies.

Police arrested Wilson Reyes and Hector Umanzor of Brentwood last week on petit larceny charges in connection with the theft of used cooking oil from Moe’s Southwest Grill on Route 58, Chief David Hegermiller said today.

The thefts occurred April 19, May 23 and June 20, the chief said.

Both men were taken into custody on arrest warrants Aug. 2 and were subsequently released on appearance tickets for a later court date.

Hegermiller said the department worked with McCall Risk Group of Southampton, a private investigations firm that has been retained by companies that recycle the used oil.

The recycling companies sign contracts with restaurants to purchase their used cooking oil, which they then then sell it to refineries. The refinery converts the used cooking oil to biofuel, which is sold as fuels for transportation heating or electrical generation.

Investigation by McCall Risk Group was responsible for the arrests of two men last month on charges related to cooking oil thefts at three Wading River restaurants.

McCall Risk Group owner Patrick McCall told RiverheadLOCAL last month there is a lucrative black market for used cooking oil that allows thieves to earn as much as $4,000 a day. He said his firm is currently investigating about 20 groups of used oil thieves.

McCall said last week the two men charged with the Riverhead thefts have been arrested multiple times in other jurisdictions across Long Island, most recently in connection with July 24 thefts at two restaurants in East Hampton and on June 19 with thefts in Eastport, Moriches and Mastic.

Hegermiller said an April 4 cooking oil theft at Friendly’s on Route 58 remains under investigation.

“We have a vehicle, but no suspects yet,” the chief said.

Editor’s note: A criminal charge is an accusation. A person charged with a crime is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.