New York Grease Thief Suspect Caught in Westport

A New York man accused of siphoning used fry grease from local restaurants was arrested in Westport Tuesday.

Westport police charged Andrew Carnegie, 38, of Yonkers, New York, with sixth-degree larceny after an officer spotted his van, which was reported to have been involved in the theft of cooking oil from the Five Guys Burgers and Fries on Westport Avenue in Norwalk, police said. 

Employees notified surrounding area police and Carnegie was stopped soon after while driving a white Ford van with New York plates. He was apprehended by Westport police within an hour of the call.

The van contained two 275-gallon containers and a gas operated Duromax pump, according to police. It was towed to police headquarters.

Police reports indicated that Five Guys employees turned in surveillance video of the white van backing up to the grease box in back of the franchise location. Employees notified police immediately, but did not appraoch the van or Carnegie, according to police.

Police officials started receiving tips about grease bins belonging to area restaurants being broken into earlier this month. Criminals use the grease to make bio-fuel, which on the black market, is sold for approximately $1.60 per gallon, according to police

When Westport Police Officer Sean Kelley saw a the described van pulling out of the Balducci’s parking lot on Post Road East he initiated a traffic stop. After the van was stopped Kelley spotted two large square vats that appeared to be full of oil, according to police.

Officers also found a round 55 gallon drum and an electric siphon with a hose attached to it. Earlier in the day, an employee of Balducci’s saw a man matching Carnegie’s description emptying oil into a white van. 

Carnegie was charged with the theft from Balducci’s and then turned over to Norwalk police after being released on a writen promise to appear in Norwalk Superior Court March 1.