Two of a trio arrested Feb. 18 by a Barrow County Sheriff's Office deputy will face more than 100 counts of theft of used cooking grease from 14 area restaurants, according to Braselton Police Investigator J.D. Gille.

A total of 102 warrants are being sought against Jason Nicholas Dehart, 30, of Winder, and Jessica Marie Edgar, 19, of Winder, for theft by taking, criminal trespass, burglary and damage to property.

Storage containers at three Braselton restaurants had been struck, prompting Darling International, the Texas-based company that has contracts with the restaurants to collect used cooking oil, to contact Braselton Police.

After the arrests in Barrow, the company pointed to the trio as possible suspects in their thefts of an estimated $1,450 worth of cooking grease.

Gille said he obtained a search warrant of the suspects' pickup truck and found a 2,000-gallon storage container used to collect grease.

Also found was a log of the enterprising pair's exploits. Grease was also stolen from restaurants in Jackson, Barrow, Gwinnett and Hall counties as well as in Jefferson, Oakwood, Gainesville and Banks Crossing.

Police have obtained videotape evidence allegedly showing Dehart and Edgar during commission of the crimes. Brandy Lynn Cooper of Jefferson was also taken into custody behind Joy's Home Cooking on West May Street in Winder but she has not been linked to the Braselton spree.

Gille said the stolen oil, which is grease, is converted into biodiesel fuel, was likely sold to a metro Atlanta company that paid cash without question. Theft of the grease usually rises when the price of gasoline goes up.