THE MYSTERY OF STOLEN CHIP SHOP OIL IN SCOTLAND

The mystery of stolen chip shop oil in Scotland. Police in Scotland say organised crime gangs are stealing used cooking oil from chip shops, takeaways and restaurants. According to Police Scotland, the oil is often stored in containers outside premises before being collected for recycling into biodiesel, a renewable transport fuel used in vehicles such as buses and tractors.

Between April and October last year, 178 thefts of used cooking oil were reported across the country. In Inverness alone, about 20 incidents were recorded during that period.

Grant Cranston, co-owner of the Hilton Chip Shop in Inverness, said he was shocked by how bold the thieves were:

“It was broad daylight. There were people walking around,” he told BBC Radio Scotland’s Breakfast programme. After reading about similar thefts in a newspaper, he checked his CCTV footage and noticed the waste oil bin had been moved. Rewinding the recording by around 30 minutes, he saw someone stealing the oil. As far as he knows, his shop has been targeted once.

Used cooking oil has become increasingly valuable because around 70% of biodiesel produced in the UK is made from it, according to government figures. Restaurants can receive roughly 30p per litre, depending on the quantity and quality of the oil collected. The UK Treasury is estimated to lose about £25m each year in unpaid duty linked to these thefts.

Chief Inspector Craig Still, area commander for Inverness, said the crimes cause inconvenience, potential damage to property and loss of income for businesses. He noted that there is often an organised criminal element involved, with stolen oil sometimes sold on to legitimate recyclers who then process it into biodiesel.

Similar thefts have also been reported in other parts of the UK, including Derbyshire and Gloucestershire.

Cranston said the incidents add to the pressures already facing the fish and chip industry, which is struggling with rising costs and VAT. He added that businesses are trying to dispose of their oil responsibly:

“You put that out there for it to go away and to be recycled, kind of doing your bit for the environment.”

Image: Seafish