2nd Cooking Oil Theft Arrest Announced — This Time In Tolland

TOLLAND, CT — A man already charged in the theft of cooking oil from a restaurant in Ellington is now facing charges for a similar incident in Tolland, state police said.

Both thefts took place on April 5 and involved hundreds of gallons, state police said.

According to a warrant, oil was taken from depositories behind Camille's Wood Fired Pizza at Fieldstone commons in Tolland at 5 a.m. and from JRego on Route 83 in Ellington 45 minutes later.

In both instances, a white Ford E350 van was spotted at the scene according to a warrant. After thieves fled the scene in Ellington, Vernon and state police tracked them down a short time later on Hartford Turnpike in Vernon, according to a warrant.

Police then located a vat containing about 600 gallons of cooking oil inside the van, according to an arrest report. Complaints from both restaurants were received by state police.

For the Tolland incident, Christian Valdez, 39, of Yonkers, NY, was charged with possession of burglar Tools, third-degree criminal trespass and fourth-degree larceny. for the Ellington incident, Valdez, was charged with first-degree criminal trespass, possession of burglar tools and fourth-degree larceny.

Steven Garcia, 24, also of Yonkers, was charged for the Ellington caper with first-degree criminal trespass, possession of burglar tools and conspiracy to commit fourth-degree larceny.