Orange County sheriff's deputies were called to an Albertsons store in Dana Point, where a man reportedly was seen taking grease from a grease trap.
They found the suspect, identified as 24-year-old Salvador Alvizar, driving a few blocks away and arrested him. It was the second time the grocery store was hit by a grease theft.
"The theft of used cooking grease has gone up across the United States due to the high price of gasoline and the used cooking grease is turned into biodiesel fuels," said Jim Amormino with the O.C. Sheriff's Department.
Police believe Alvizar works for a waste management company which contracts with local businesses to turn used grease into biofuel. Officials say the company did not have a contract with the Albertsons involved in the theft.
