Thieves in the act: Trio steals hundreds of liters of frying fat in Kassel!

Thieves in the act: Trio steals hundreds of liters of frying fat in Kassel!

What happened in Kassel almost sounds like something out of a movie: A trio stole hundreds of liters of old frying oil from a restaurant. On the morning of Wednesday, December 3, 2025, police caught the three suspects—two men and a woman—in the act as they loaded a 100-liter ton of the valuable substance into their van. According to the police, old frying fat, which is recycled into fuel in special companies, has a high value, which makes the crime understandable but by no means excusable. According to [ffh.de].

But what is actually behind this theft? A growing number of criminal gangs in Germany have specialized in the theft of old cooking fats, report Tagesschau and Tagesspiegel. Thefts have increased massively in recent years, with over 7,000 cases reported in 2023. The perpetrators usually use special bins that are located in the back yards of restaurants and are often not properly secured. The fat is either pumped out or the containers themselves are taken away.

Valuable secondary raw material

Why is old frying fat so popular with criminals? Quite simply: it is a sought-after secondary raw material that produces around 120,000 tons annually in Germany. Companies earn a significant amount of money from this, as the price for processed fat can be up to 900 euros per 1,000 kilograms. Therefore, there is a great incentive for thieves to loot dead buckets. The money that restaurant operators receive for their used fats is vitally important for many of them. An entrepreneur from the Palatinate explained that he had already lost 40,000 euros due to theft this year alone.

Another problem is the lack of conviction of perpetrators. The police often see the thefts as minor crimes, while the Federal Association of the German Waste Management Industry (BDE) speaks of a high level of organization and total annual damage in the millions. Many cases are being discontinued and a robust, effective solution appears to be far away - despite the growing pressure to finally combat this grievance.

A look into the future

The demand for used cooking oil is expected to increase in the coming years, particularly with regard to its use in biodiesel production. This could further inflame the situation and result in more thefts. After all, there are already indications that the criminals are not afraid of being caught by the German authorities. The debate about alternative measures, such as the introduction of special public prosecutors and the use of GPS trackers on the bins, is more than overdue, as this can at least create a certain level of security.

While another chapter about suspected fat thieves has been opened in Kassel, it remains to be seen what the future will bring for the catering industry and waste disposal companies. One thing is certain: there is something there, and a very big piece of fat!