Somebody Keeps Trying to Steal the Grease From the Same Two Beverly Restaurants

Beverly police say they got a call about 5:05 a.m. Friday about two people and a van outside the Anchor Pub & Grille on Cabot Street. Officers found a big white van out front and fresh oil and grease on the ground leading from Beverly House of Pizza next door. Jesus Del Orbe Escolastico, 28, and Osmin Velasquez Ramos, 21, both of Yonkers, N.Y., were charged with breaking into a depository, possession of a burglarious instrument and vandalizing property, according to WHDH. Those are allegations.

The tip came from a guy getting coffee. A prosecutor said in court he "noticed a hose coming out of the van and into the grease trap," asked what was going on, and was told they "worked for the company." He called the cops anyway. Respect.

Why steal fryer grease? Police told WHDH used cooking oil sells on the black market and gets turned into biodiesel. They valued what was recovered at about $2,750. And here's the wild part: WHDH reported a different group from Worcester tried the same thing at the same two restaurants earlier this month, also with a van and a hose.

Velasquez Ramos's lawyer said in court his client "was hired to do a job" and "had no idea that no one had permission to do this." He said, "We've now gone from stolen oil to a grand conspiracy with absolutely nothing to support that." Both men are held on $5,000 bail and due back in November. The pizza shop owner says he's getting a container with a lock and key.

What we still don't know: who hired them, if anyone, who buys oil like this, and whether the two Beverly attempts are connected.