• Organized gangs target "chips" shops to steal used cooking oil
• The thefts cause financial losses and damage to businesses

Scotland Police warned of a rise in gangs targeting restaurants and chips shops to steal used cooking oil, often left in containers outside the premises to be collected and recycled into biofuels, such as for buses and agricultural machinery.

Between April and October last year, police recorded 178 oil thefts across Scotland, costing affected businesses over £20,000.

Chief Inspector Craig Steele, head of the Inverness area, explained that these thefts create multiple problems for shop owners, including disruption, potential property damage, lost revenue, and the risk of thieves breaking into shops or outdoor storage areas.

Steele added that most of these thefts are carried out by organized criminal gangs, with the stolen oil usually sold to licensed recycling plants, which convert it into biofuel, whose use is increasing alongside advances in sustainable energy technology.

Grant Cranston, owner of a chips shop in Inverness, described his shock at the brazen theft of his shop’s oil, saying: "The theft happened in broad daylight, and there were people roaming around the area."

He warned that the purpose of collecting used oil is responsible recycling to protect the environment, and that these thefts undermine the environmental efforts made by the businesses.

Andrew Crook, head of the National Chips Shops Association, noted that some shops are repeatedly targeted, with the financial value of stolen barrels ranging between £30 and £40 per barrel, making it tempting for criminals who repeatedly hit multiple shops.

Scotland Police urged restaurant owners to store oil in secure, well-lit areas and monitor it with cameras whenever possible.