2 NY Men Charged In Beverly Restaurant Cooking Oil Theft: Police

BEVERLY, MA — Two more men are facing charges in an apparent cooking oil theft ring targeting Beverly restaurants.

The Beverly Police Department said two New York men were charged with stealing the oil from businesses on Cabot Street early Friday morning. Those arrests come days after three teens were charged with similar crimes involving used cooking oil from downtown restaurants.

• 3 Arrested After Used Cooking Oil Stolen From Massachusetts Restaurants

Used cooking oil has resale value and is collected by companies for recycling into products such as biofuel. Police estimate the recovered cooking oil was worth approximately $2,750.

Police said Jesus Del Orbe Escolastico, 28, and Osmin Velasquez Ramos, 21, both of Yonkers, NY were charged with breaking into a depository, possession of burglary equipment and vandalism.

Police said they were called to the restaurant on Cabot Street that had recently had a cooking theft at about 6 a.m. following a report of suspicious activity involving two people and a van.

Police said that when they arrived, they found the two men in a large white van with fresh oil and grease on the ground trailing back to a neighboring restaurant.

Police said a preliminary investigation determined that the men removed the oil from grease traps at the two neighboring restaurants. A search of the van uncovered tools — including wire cutters — consistent with those used in a burglary.

The two men were expected to be arraigned in Beverly District Court on Friday.