Drug users committing theft crimes to obtain money seem to be taking a cleaner approach recently.
The New York Times reports that after a 2011 investigation of massive Tide laundry detergent theft at a Bowie, Maryland, Safeway grocery store resulting in a monthly loss of $10,000 to $15,000, police Sgt. Aubrey Thompson discovered that the household product was being stolen and sold for drugs.
Acquiring the street name “Liquid Gold,” a 150-ounce bottle of Tide can be traded for as much as $10 worth of marijuana or crack cocaine. It can also be traded for $5 in cash in the drug market.
Despite the $20 per 150-ounce bottle price that Tide goes for on store shelves, the street bartered detergent continues to outsell its competitor, Gain, which retails for more than 50 percent less. That’s a little more than two to one.
Reports of this black-market exchange have emerged all over the country including California, Minnesota and New York and have continued to spread leaving grocery store and super store management a bit more watchful over there detergent aisles.
—Jordane Frazier
Here’s more:
Thieves target weaves
