Thieves steal $571 worth of baby formula in shopping cart from Pittsfield Township Meijer
Pittsfield Township police are looking for 2 people who stole a shopping cart filled with baby formula from Meijer in a Monday afternoon theft.
A woman and man walked into the store at 3145 Ann Arbor Saline Road and filled the cart with the formula, according to police. The suspects then walked out of the store to a gray Mercedes and put all of the baby formula into the car’s trunk.
The total heist: 40 containers of baby formula worth $571, according to reports.
Police said the Mercedes had a paper license plate in the window and they were not able to get an actual license plate number. It’s likely that the baby formula will be resold at a marked down price or for drugs, according to police.
The 2 suspects are both described as black and between 25 and 30 years old. The man is approximately 5-feet-10 inches tall and 180 pounds, while the woman is about 5-feet-6 inches tall and 150 pounds.
This is the second similar crime this month at a Pittsfield Township grocery store.
On Sept. 9, a thief stole $150 worth of meat in a shopping cart from Kroger, 3200 Carpenter Road. Police said the man loaded the meat in to a silver 2002 Chevrolet four-door vehicle and drove off with it. They suspected that crime was also committed in order to resell the meat at a lower price.
Gordy Schick, Pittsfield Township deputy director of public safety, said teams of 2 people, with one creating a distraction while the other steals the goods, usually carry out the crimes. Pittsfield Township police have investigated past incidents where shopping carts full of Budweiser beer and lobsters were stolen.
The most recent grocery theft is still under investigation. If anyone has any tips on the crime, they are encouraged to call the Pittsfield Township tip line at 734-822-4958.
Kyle Feldscher covers cops and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at kylefeldscher@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.
Comments
Ricebrnr
Wed, Sep 28, 2011 : 2:52 p.m.
huh and here we have .gov hardening targets this last decade. I thought making a place harder to "hit" would make it less attractive as a target. Silly me. Never mind then, invite the criminals. It's safer that way, right?
Gordon
Wed, Sep 28, 2011 : 2:13 p.m.
Bridge cards don't allow for drugs legally. Plus, a Mercedes is an expensive car to maintain or it needed tires. Keep in mind the matra "We have insurance". It's either the insurance company or passing the cost on to the consumer but it is safer for emplyees not to chase the thevies.
lisam
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 6:50 p.m.
Isn't there a fine line with trying to catch a thief? It seems in the past, there was an incident when someone was stealing from Plum Market and a worker was fired for trying to stop him. Just going from memory on that one. I also had a friend who worked for K-Mart as a security guard. This friend approached someone who she thought was attempting to steal an item, and my friend was fired for it.
Marilyn Wilkie
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 8:21 p.m.
That was the guy who was fired by Whole Foods for chasing a thief and later was hired by Plum Market.
James
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 6:42 p.m.
Oh no! All of the "drug addicts" that hang around 'Graffiti alley' must have made their way to Meijer.
Homeland Conspiracy
Wed, Sep 28, 2011 : 1:38 a.m.
I knew it!
Ricebrnr
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 6:30 p.m.
And why not? Corporations would rather pass the loss onto the rest of us than risk the liability possible if employees are harmed or worse harm others while attempting to stop such thefts. This is why Whole Foods fired that guy who tried to stop a shoplifter. This is why Walgreens has fired the pharmacist that saved his and fellow employees from armed robbers. This is why Pizza delivery people will continue to be preyed upon. There is no risk to the criminal, all the risk is borne by you, the employees and I.
Ricebrnr
Wed, Sep 28, 2011 : 2:10 a.m.
Now that would be an assinine thing to do wouldn't it? However stopping them and handing them to the police would be a good idea and perhaps deter more such crime would't it?
smokeblwr
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 8:59 p.m.
The greeter should have shot them?
lisam
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 7:14 p.m.
Yes, I agree. I posted further on down...I thought Plum Market fired that guy...but you're right it was Whole Foods. Plum Market was going to HIRE that guy. Thanks for clearing that up. You are so right in every thing you wrote.
cinnabar7071
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 6:16 p.m.
Why didnt they just get bridge cards? Why steal when the gov't will just give it to you if you dont want to work?
cinnabar7071
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 11:40 p.m.
I know that Marilyn, but being poor isnt required to get a brigde card. Dont get all defensive I wasnt talking about YOU.
smokeblwr
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 8:58 p.m.
With a Mercedes I'm guessing they aren't poor. Just another example of how the Rich Get Richer in Rick Snyder's Michigan and Obama's America!!
jrigglem
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 8:31 p.m.
Amen Marilyn! So sick of that thought process. However cinnabar I was almost on the same wave length, I thought why didn't they fake a pregnancy and get wic?
Marilyn Wilkie
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 8:19 p.m.
Bridge cards are not just for people who "don't want to work". Not all poor people "don't want to work".
Smiley
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 6:06 p.m.
With all the cameras in that store, I am very surprised the theives were able to make it to their car and load that much formula into it...unless of course the store's policy is not to engage the thieves. I saw a 16-20 year old try to steel a bottle of booze there once, and the Meijer employees gave chase on foot through the parking lot. The thief set the booze down just outside the door, when he realized the Meijer employees were on to him, and took off running -- the guy was probably around 6'2" and wasn't slow. The Meijer employees on the other hand...let's just say they weren't Heisman contenders. I gave them an A for effort, but the whole scene did make me chuckle a bit. It was a little like watching a British comedy.
dogman32
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 5:50 p.m.
What Greeters? There are less of them than Cashiers!
ffej440
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 5:49 p.m.
This type of theft is nothing new, seen it lots 30 years ago when I worked for a retail chain. Good to see they are using cctv and not trying to engage the theives.
smokeblwr
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 5:49 p.m.
The thieves stole the baby formula and took off in a Mercedes!! I guess they didn't get rich by paying for groceries.
Sallyxyz
Wed, Sep 28, 2011 : 1:34 p.m.
Probably paid cash for the Cedes...
RJA
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 5:43 p.m.
My question is not what the thieves are going to do with the formula, instead what is Security in the parking lot doing? There are just so many doors in and out of the store. The greeters at the doors should do like Sam's club do. (where they don't always bag or box items). Check the reciept and count items!
obviouscomment
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 7:42 p.m.
i've seen many people stopped at meijer stores when suspected of stealing...i can't believe they got away
dading dont delete me bro
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 5:16 p.m.
"It's likely that the baby formula will be resold at a marked down price or for drugs, according to police." even though it's a quote from a police, i thought it was against annarbor.com's "rules" to speculate...?