Thieves steal 100,000 eggs amid national shortage and skyrocketing prices

Thieves made off with 100,000 of one the most prized items in the US at the moment – eggs.

The crooks stole more than $40,000 worth of organic eggs from a wholesaler warehouse in Greencastle, Pennsylvania, as prices for the product skyrocket amid a national shortage caused by the bird flu.

‘This is a major felony, given the value of what was taken,’ said state Trooper Megan Frazer of the incident that unfolded over the weekend.

‘The thieves could sell them or even use them for vandalizing purposes.

‘We don’t know what purpose of stealing 100,000 would be for at this time. With the extreme increased price of eggs, someone may have thought they could sell them.’

It is the first time in her dozen years on duty that eggs have been stolen, to her knowledge.

‘The only thing close was 10 years ago when someone stole a trailer full of chickens,’ Frazer said.

Unidentified thieves broke into a trailer at Pete and Gerry’s Organics warehouse just before 9pm on Saturday, according to police.

The warehouse is located roughly 65 miles southwest of the state capital of Harrisburg and 170 miles west of Philadelphia.

Eggs cost over 50% more than last year, per a US Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price index report released on Friday.

The average cost reached $5.29 for a dozen eggs in late January, according to an NIQ consumer research group. About a year prior to that, the price for a dozen eggs was about $3.50.

Beyond grocery stores, customers are experiencing the price hike at restaurants. The famous breakfast chain Waffle House which serves more than 272million eggs annually has implemented a surcharge of 50 cents for each one ordered.

Up to 17.2million hens have died due to the bird flu.

There are no leads on the crime and authorities are asking for the public’s help to find the thieves.

‘This egg theft incident,’ Frazer told The New York Times, ‘Is definitely unusual and has gained national attention.’

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