Enfield man arrested following spate of cooking oil thefts in Gosport

The 20-year-old was detained in Petersfield last Wednesday, at 7.35am.

A number of businesses have been targeted in recent months, as cooking oil is being stolen by criminals for use as fuel in cars.

Barrels were taken from behind the Bap and Burrito takeaway, in Stoke Road, Gosport, on June 22 – with the premises also being hit on June 11.

Owner Shaz Montasser, 33, told The News: ‘My partner woke me up, and when I checked the garden, I noticed that it was taken.

‘I got in the car and called the police straight away so we could try our best to get him as quick as we could.’

The price of diesel has risen above £1.90 a litre.

Mr Montasser said he was relieved that someone was caught, and he is going to upgrade his security equipment, as it was proving unreliable.

The entrepreneur thinks criminals will still target other places.

‘I’m going to upgrade the CCTV, as it is the second time it didn’t work’, he said.

‘We’re still gonna leave one or two barrels in the back garden, to see if it does happen again.

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‘They don’t really care about people, they’re just gonna get what they wanna get.

‘Overall, it isn’t going to stop, but at least they know that we’re doing something about it.’

A Hampshire Constabulary spokesman said: ‘A 20-year-old man from Enfield has been arrested on suspicion of theft as part of our enquiries.

‘He has been released under investigation and enquiries are continuing.’