Two men were arrested in West Haven when they were caught stealing used cooking oil early Monday morning, according to police.
West Haven police officers were on patrol when they saw something suspicious behind Pizza Works on Campbell Avenue around 3:30 a.m., according to police.
According to police, David Brea, 33, of Massachusetts and Alfredo Gonzalez, 27, of Yonkers, New York, were using a generator, a pump, and a hose to steal used cooking oil and then storing it into barrels in a van.
The owner of the pizza shop said he has noticed that someone was stealing the oil because the company he uses to collect the oil pays him $200 to $300 per trip per month for it.
He has not received payment the past few times the company has come because the oil container has been empty.
Brea and Gonzalez said the oil is resold to recycling centers in New York, according to a news release from police.
In March, CNBC reported about an increase in cooking oil thefts as biodiesel becomes a more common fuel for vehicles, including public buses and courier vehicles.
Brea and Gonzalez were charged with larceny and conspiracy charges and held on bond.
They are due in court on Dec. 4.
