Two Allentown residents, Deyvi Santo De Jesus and Steven Caraballo Matos, were arrested on April 30 for attempting to steal cooking oil from two Monroe County businesses. The Pocono Township Police Department responded to an attempted theft call at the Scotrun Diner around 4:45 a.m. Upon arrival, officers learned that the suspects had parked a van next to the grease traps at the rear of the diner. However, they fled the scene when spotted by a witness.
Just minutes later, police found a van matching the description near another business—New York Pizza. When officers approached, they encountered De Jesus and Matos, who were parked next to the restaurant’s grease trap. During the investigation, law enforcement discovered tools and equipment commonly used in cooking oil thefts inside the van. Additionally, the grease trap at New York Pizza was found to be open, and its security grate had been removed—an unusual and suspicious occurrence, according to police.
Both men were arrested and are now facing charges of attempted theft, possessing instruments of a crime, and criminal conspiracy. Cooking oil theft has been an ongoing issue for restaurants and businesses, as criminals seek to profit from used oil, which can be sold for processing and recycling.
The suspects are being held accountable for their role in this plot, and authorities continue to address theft-related crimes in the region.