Two people arrested on suspicion of cooking oil theft in Selsey

Sussex Roads Police stopped the people in a van in Selsey last night on suspicion of burglary.

Warnings are being issued nationwide for restaurants after a number of cooking oil thefts to be converted into unregulated biodiesel to be sold on the black market.

A Sussex Police spokesman said: “Following a report in Selsey, we stopped a van and arrested two individuals on suspicion of burglary whereby cooking oil had been stolen.

Cooking oil theft has been a problem across the country

“We were assisted by Sussex Police Dogs Unit and the two will remain in custody to be interviewed.”

Sussex Police have previously warned about people using fake IDs to pretend to be from a company hired to collect oil.

A spokesman previously said: "It is thought that the thieves are taking the used oil to convert it into unregulated biodiesel for sale on the black market.

"We advise that business keep used oil safely locked up in a storage area until your known oil collector can collect.”

Oil storage tanks have also been targeted in Sussex after the increase in fuel prices.