Grease Theft Arrest
By: Staff
Updated: October 2, 2012
A Swartz area resident has been arrested in the theft of used cooking oil from a fried chicken restaurant in Farmerville.
Michael Sanderson, 51, of 116 Topic Drive, Monroe, was booked Monday afternoon into the Union Parish Detention Center for felony theft of more than $1,500. He posted a $3,500 bond and was released.
Crime Stoppers of Union Parish received an immediate response when a photograph of the truck used in the thefts was shown on KTVE-NBC 10 news recently.
"We had our suspect within 30 minutes after that first broadcast," Sheriff Bob Buckley said. "Our detectives did their job well."
According to investigators, Sanderson admitted to pumping oil from vats at Southern Classic Fried Chicken in Farmerville for the past year. The amount of oil taken from the restaurant totaled some $3,600.
Griffin Industries has a contract with the restaurant and told investigators that the theft resulted in a $3,600 loss to the company.
Sanderson told deputies that he was selling the oil to Ferguson Grease in Greenville, Miss., and received 20 cents per pound. Investigators said Sanderson also picks up used cooking oil from Union Parish schools and Ouachita Parish schools and other businesses in the area.
Griffin Industries, a national company, sent one of its investigators to Union Parish to assist in the investigation.
Michael Sanderson, 51, of 116 Topic Drive, Monroe, was booked Monday afternoon into the Union Parish Detention Center for felony theft of more than $1,500. He posted a $3,500 bond and was released.
Crime Stoppers of Union Parish received an immediate response when a photograph of the truck used in the thefts was shown on KTVE-NBC 10 news recently.
"We had our suspect within 30 minutes after that first broadcast," Sheriff Bob Buckley said. "Our detectives did their job well."
According to investigators, Sanderson admitted to pumping oil from vats at Southern Classic Fried Chicken in Farmerville for the past year. The amount of oil taken from the restaurant totaled some $3,600.
Griffin Industries has a contract with the restaurant and told investigators that the theft resulted in a $3,600 loss to the company.
Sanderson told deputies that he was selling the oil to Ferguson Grease in Greenville, Miss., and received 20 cents per pound. Investigators said Sanderson also picks up used cooking oil from Union Parish schools and Ouachita Parish schools and other businesses in the area.
Griffin Industries, a national company, sent one of its investigators to Union Parish to assist in the investigation.
