One of the few criminal threats food service businesses face that other business owners don’t need to worry about is waste fryer oil theft.

Anyone who has handled waste fryer oil knows it’s not a pleasant material to handle, but that doesn’t discourage criminals looking to make an easy buck from a relatively unsecured resource.

This isn’t an issue that only plagues restaurants in the third-world or developing countries; it happens right here in Georgia. A Chick-fil-A in Athens-Clarke County had hundreds of gallons of used fryer oil stolen in 2023, and a whole ring of cooking oil thieves was busted in Cartersville, GA in August 2024. These thieves were well equipped with a van and vacuum pumps for stealing and transporting large quantities of fryer oil.

Businesses should take fryer oil theft seriously for several reasons:

• Recyclers like Southern Green Industries will pay you hundreds or even thousands of dollars for your waste oil
  
  
• Thieves are not concerned with sanitation or responsible handling, often spilling oil on your property and leaving containers damaged
  
  
• In addition to creating injury risks, spilled oil can get into the sewer system and cause damage or contribute to blockages
  
  
• Businesses typically need to deal with the hassle of filing a police report and cleaning up   

There are ways businesses can safeguard themselves and make their waste oil a less tempting target for criminals in Atlanta.

Why Is Waste Oil Even Valuable?

Waste oil legally collected from restaurants and food service businesses by companies like Southern Green Industries is processed into biodiesel—a renewable fuel alternative. With biodiesel demand rising, the black market for stolen waste oil has grown. Depending on the market, used cooking oil can sell for a couple dollars per gallon, meaning a single full collection container can be worth hundreds or even thousands of dollars.

How Do Thieves Steal Waste Oil?

Stealing waste oil isn’t as simple as grabbing a few gallons and walking away. Thieves use a variety of methods, including:

• Siphoning it into containers – Some use hoses to transfer oil from restaurant storage bins into five-gallon buckets or larger barrels for easy transport.
  
  
• Using trucks with storage tanks and pumps – More organized theft rings bring vacuum pump systems or modified tank trucks, making it easy to steal hundreds of gallons in minutes.
  
  
• Posing as legitimate collection services – Some thieves wear uniforms or use fake company names to trick employees into letting them take the oil. The thieves in Cartersville wore yellow reflective work vests and had a white panel van. If a passerby didn’t look carefully, they might not realize anything was amiss.

Where Does Stolen Waste Oil Go?

Once stolen, waste oil enters the black market, where it’s resold to biodiesel refiners or smaller independent processors. Some buyers don’t ask questions, while others knowingly purchase under-the-table oil at a discount.

Stolen oil is often sold:

• Directly to biodiesel plants that don’t verify sources.
• To unlicensed refiners that convert it into biodiesel for profit.
• Across state lines, making it harder to trace.

Since waste oil is technically considered property, businesses that buy it without proper documentation could also face legal trouble.

What Makes Waste Oil Storage Vulnerable to Theft?

Not all waste oil containers are designed with security in mind. Common vulnerabilities include:

• Unsecured outdoor storage – Many businesses keep waste oil bins behind their buildings, making them easy targets.
  
  
• Simple screw-top lids – If a container isn’t locked or tamper-resistant, thieves can siphon oil in seconds.
  
  
• Poor lighting and surveillance – A lack of cameras or security lighting makes theft easier.

Preventing Waste Oil Theft

• Lockable, theft-resistant containers – Some companies, including Southern Green Industries, now offer grease bins with built-in security features, like reinforced lids and lockable drain valves.
  
  
• Fencing and locked enclosures – Keeping bins in secure areas makes accessing the containers more difficult for waste oil thieves.
  
  
• Regular pickups – More frequent oil collections lower the chances of large amounts being stolen.
  
  
• Security cameras and lighting – A well-lit, monitored area deters theft. If a theft does occur, law enforcement can use footage from cameras to catch the culprits.

Is Waste Oil Theft Considered a Serious Crime?

Waste oil theft might not sound like a major offense, but Georgia law does treat it as a serious crime if a large volume is stolen.

How Georgia Classifies Waste Oil Theft

In Georgia, theft charges are classified based on the value of stolen property:

• Under $1,500 – Misdemeanor theft, punishable by fines or up to 12 months in jail.
• Over $1,500 – Felony theft, with penalties including one to ten years in prison.

Since stolen cooking oil can be worth thousands of dollars per load, larger thefts can quickly escalate to felonies.

Other crimes can also be added if injuries or property damage occurs. For example, workers can slip and injure themselves, or, like in the Cartersville case, bike riders or motorcyclists can slip when riding over oil spilled by thieves and suffer injuries.

Get Secure Storage, Regular Pickup and Fair Used Oil Prices

Southern Green Industries has been in the fryer oil recycling business in Georgia for nearly 20 years. We’re no strangers to the risks posed by used oil theft, and we take precautions to protect our customers. This includes custom-built containers with built-in security features to make theft more difficult, pickups on a regular schedule, and communication with clients to warn them of evidence of tampering.

Call us at (404) 419-6887 to learn more about our fryer oil recycling services.