To be honest I’m skeptical of this story:
Police and retailers are pushing back against a report claiming that theft of Tide laundry detergent is on the rise nationwide and that some cities are devising special task forces to crack down on the alleged phenomenon.
The Daily, an iPad publication, reported Monday that authorities from New York to Oregon are combating a new wave of Tide theft at popular retail stores, like CVS and Walmart. The story quickly spread virally across the Internet, and was even the subject of a segment Tuesday on ABC’s “Good Morning America.”
While police acknowledge that name-brand household items are commonly swiped from store shelves, authorities in at least two states referenced by the publication say they have not seen a specific rise in stolen Tide detergent.
Lt. Matt Swenke of the West St. Paul Police Department in Minnesota described laundry detergent as a “needed commodity” – much like baby formula and toilet paper – that he said is often a target for shoplifters looking to profit by reselling the items to privately-owned retail stores.
He referenced one case of a man suspected of stealing $25,000 worth of Tide detergent from a Walmart in West St. Paul over a 15-month period. He said the man, identified as 53-year-old Patrick Costanzo, was seen on surveillance video stocking up his shopping cart with various items, including Tide, and walking out of the store without paying.
But, Swenke said, “We haven’t noticed anything in terms of this being a rising problem.” He said of the five major retailers in the West St. Paul area, only one store – Walmart – came forward to police about thousands of dollars of missing Tide inventory believed to have been taken by Costanzo.
It’s also being reported that people are bartering Tide for heroin or meth.
I don’t doubt that brand-name household products are being stolen and sold on the black market. The part I doubt is that it’s dramatically on the rise or has reached epidemic proportions. If Tide were in so much demand on the black market, wouldn’t there be forgeries? Wouldn’t there be people going through my trash to get empty Tide bottles?
Or it would be tagged. I was called out over the intercom at Walmart for a Dustbuster filter that I’d paid for.
It scared the bejeebers out of me.
This is something I’ve complained about before but here in Chicago the Walgreens stores lock all sorts of unexpected things up. They lock up Mucinex, for goodness sake. The same things aren’t locked up at a CVS, a Target, or an Osco.
I saw the story, and I do not believe it. None of it makes any sense.
At $20.00 per bottle (150 oz), Mr. Costanzo would need to steal 1250 bottles of Tide. This would average 19.5 bottles per week. He would need about two shopping carts to carry it.
The article does not mention drugs, but I also pictured drug purchases with Tide. I am not sure what is the current price of heroin/gram, but at $60.00/gram, it would take six bottles ($10.00 black market price). I have never known a drug dealer that would consider being paid with Tide, and I cannot imagine anybody else being paid in Tide.
“For the Snark was a Boojum, you see.”
We did have a theft ring at the Walmart in Natchez, but that entailed collusion with cashiers.
I scanned this article this morning to learn what new drug the home-pharmacists had discovered could be manufactured out of Tide, pocket lint and a car battery. Still working I see.
If they start making me go through the third degree to buy laundry detergent I may stop washing my clothes. And nobody wants that.
I don’t know if it is an epidemic, but it wouldn’t surprise me. We had a shoplifting ring here in Central Florida about four years ago that specialized in baby formula. They were managing to steal enough to fill up semi-trucks that got sent up the eastern seaboard to destinations up north. This is just a small step from hi-jacking, and probably a bit safer from a legal stand-point. If I was going to get caught committing a crime, I’d rather get caught stealing a box of Tide than a tractor-trailer of Tide.
Also, times are more desperate these days, and theft is becoming more common. For example, the Sam’s Club I shop at has recently changed policy for the checkout lines. They used to allow customers to leave heavy bulk items in the carts, things like a case of water. They’d look underneath but that was it. Starting a couple of weeks ago they’re insisting that EVERYTHING go onto the ramp leading to the cash register. I feel bad for the folks buying in bulk for churches and such – that’s a lot of lifting.
If they start making me go through the third degree to buy laundry detergent I may stop washing my clothes.
It’s a conspiracy by dry-cleaners.
Or cologne manufacturers.
You’ll just have to become a cab driver.
Badda- bing!