BROOME COUNTY, N.Y. — The New York State Police is alerting restaurants to thieves stealing used cooking oil.

The state police said that troopers have recently responded to incidents in which thieves stole used cooking oil from restaurants’ storage tanks. The police said used cooking oil is valuable because it can be recycled into fuel.

On July 9, around 7:30 a.m., troopers responded to River Run Restaurant on Faulkner Road in the Town of Sanford, Broome County, N.Y., for a report of a larceny. They found the suspect, Donaldo Jones Morel Castro, 30, of Bronx, N.Y., in a commercial Ford van.

The police said Morel Castro’s van had a green hose pumping used cooking oil from the restaurant’s containers. The police noted that the restaurant owner had blocked Morel Castro’s van from leaving.

Castro was charged with misdemeanor attempted petit larceny and issued appearance tickets to the Town of Sanford Court.

Then, on July 18, troopers responded to Lupo’s Char-pIt on East Main Street in Endwell, Broome County, N.Y., for a report of two men trying to steal used cooking oil from the business.

The police said an employee confronted them. The two suspects were in a rental box truck with New Jersey license plates. They left the area but were eventually stopped by troopers and deputies with the Broome County Sheriff’s Office on Interstate 81 in the Town of Binghamton.

Troopers found large tanks containing used cooking oil inside the box truck, along with industrial hoses and a gas-powered water pump.

They were identified as Barry D. Charles, 26, and Nasir A. Bey, 29. Both men are from Newark, N.J.

Charles and Bey were charged with misdemeanor counts of attempted petit larceny, criminal possession of stolen property, possession of burglar tools and conspiracy.

They were issued appearance tickets to the Town of Union Court for Aug. 4.

The New York State Police said that businesses that maintain cooking oil storage containers should:

Install cameras that monitor the storage areasKeeping storage tanks in well-lit areas whenever possibleUsing locks on containersReporting suspicious vehicles or individuals on the property immediately by calling 911