BEVERLY HILLS—Alfredo Jose Padilla of Lynwood was taken into custody on March 24, by the Beverly Hills Police Department. Padilla is accused of being responsible for a string of thefts of grease from multiple restaurants in Beverly Hills and around Los Angeles. Formal charges are currently pending.
Inedible kitchen grease, often referred to as used cooking oil, is traded as a commodity and is used in the production of both renewable diesel and biodiesel fuels. The grease is often stored in a tank behind a building and collected by a third party.
Police officers were conducting a traffic stop at around 2 a.m. on March 24 when they pulled over the suspect’s car. Investigators found a loaded firearm and an unspecified controlled substance in his vehicle.
Detectives with the BHPD are working with the California Department of Food and Agriculture investigators to identify additional victims.
The Canyon News reached out to the BHPD for more information on the case, but did not hear back before print.
By Christianne