Buffalo, N.Y. – September 08, 2026 -- Used cooking oil theft across the United States totaled between $300 million and $500 million in 2025, according to the North American Renderers Association, prompting Buffalo Biodiesel to issue a security warning to its roughly 30,000 restaurant customers across western New York and the Northeast.
Buffalo Biodiesel says hundreds of thefts have hit its customer base and the trend is accelerating
Ryan Haggerty, chief state litigator and general counsel at Buffalo Biodiesel, said restaurants are frequent targets because used cooking oil bins are typically stored outdoors in unlit, unmonitored areas. "Cooking oil theft nationally has become a big problem and there is a sophisticated and growing illegal black marketplace that is threatening the biodiesel sector," Haggerty said.
Federal prosecutors secured two guilty pleas in western New York within two weeks
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of New York announced on August 22 that an individual pleaded guilty to stealing 45,000 pounds of used cooking oil and selling it to a refinery in Erie, Pennsylvania. A second individual pleaded guilty on September 1 after law enforcement seized approximately $140,000 in cash, a handgun, and roughly 12,000 gallons of stolen used cooking oil tied to the case.
New York State Police flagged organized siphoning rings in July
The state police in Central New York had already warned businesses in July after arresting suspects for siphoning used cooking oil directly from restaurant establishments. Buffalo Biodiesel said the enforcement actions confirm a pattern of organized theft that has grown over the past several years.
Buffalo Biodiesel frames security upgrades as a financial calculation for operators
Haggerty noted that restaurant profit margins are tight, but used cooking oil sales are a legitimate revenue stream for many establishments, making surveillance cameras, improved lighting, and secured storage a defensive investment. "Selling used cooking oil is a profit center for many establishments and making these security enhancements can be a good investment to thwart criminals from stealing a product that is in extremely strong demand," he said.