UNITED STATES-SHOPLIFTERS TARGET MEAT.
Police say shoplifters are increasingly on the prowl, and not even butcher shops are immune.
Often, before anyone can say, "Where’s the beef?" shoplifters are running for the door with raw meat hidden in their purses or clothing, police say. But more than likely, the beef is stolen by people hungry for drugs, not a steak or pork chop.
Police say thieves often strike grocery stores and steal meat, often by stuffing it into their purses or clothing. Meat was listed as "high risk shoplifting merchandise" on the Beckley Police Department’s 2007 Annual Report. Both officers and affected business owners blame the illegal drug trade and say this shows how firm its grip is.
Beckley has already been the site of at least two meat thefts valued at $1,000 or more..
Around Memorial Day 2005, police said they were pursuing a man who stole one shopping cart full of steaks and another filled with high-priced liquor from the Beckley Crossing Kroger. The man pushed both carts to the store’s back service entrance and loaded the items into his vehicle.
Before his June arrest, police said, the same suspect was spotted at the Oak Hill Kroger store, allegedly trying to shoplift more meat, more liquor and a small grill.
In January 2007, 12 pork shoulders and six beef briskets were reported stolen from Southern Red’s BBQ’s former location on South Eisenhower Drive. The meat, worth $1,500, was taken from the restaurant’s outdoor grills.
Raleigh County sheriff’s Deputy Randy White, while off-duty, handles security details at Kroger stores throughout southern West Virginia. He estimated he catches people trying to shoplift meat at least three times a week.
"They’re generally after rib-eyes that cost about $90 to $98," he said. "They’ll stuff them into their purses, jackets or down their pants. ... On occasion, you have some who try to push a buggy into the loading zone, but more than anything, they try to put (the meat) into their jackets, pants or purses.
"Here’s what I don’t understand: Why would someone eat meat that has been down someone’s breeches? Not me."
Beckley Police Chief Tim Deems also worked off-duty security details at Kroger stores until four years ago. Before he began his law enforcement career, he worked as both a Kroger clerk and night stock crew member.
"(Meat) was a popular item that people shoplifted," he said.
Kevin Hart is manager of Southern Red’s BBQ, which has since moved to Robert C. Byrd Drive in Prosperity. He said meat is locked up now. Thefts, especially like the one in 2007, have a damaging effect on businesses.
"That day, we actually had to close down," he said. "It takes about 12 to 14 hours to cook this correctly. We couldn’t just put anything out there. We - - -
Some people may scratch their heads in disbelief or even laugh at people trying to sneak stolen meat out of grocery stores. But police say an exponentially growing drug trade — where desperate addicts will steal anything to support their habits — is to blame.
"They’re not doing this because they’re hungry," White said. "They’re taking that $100 in meat and trading it for a hydrocodone or an oxycodone — one pill — or one $15 to $20 rock of crack cocaine.
"It’s one of the 10,000 things being traded for dope. But look at it like this: Someone gets into a wreck and gets pain medication. With insurance, you can pay $20 and get 80 pills. One pill will get you $100 in meat. They’re making a killing.
"This is killing our county and our state. You have people who are CEOs who are losing their jobs and their families. People who were once doing well in life get hurt in the coal mines, get this medication and get addicted. It’s unbelievable."
Deems said it is his experience that people will trade or sell practically anything to support a drug habit.
"If you have an addiction to feed, you’ll sell practically anything to feed your habit," he said. "A lot of burglaries and thefts are tied to the drug trade. TVs, PlayStations and any type of electronics are really popular, but it’s anything of value that a person will try to sell."
Hart also blamed the drug trade. Besides the large meat theft in 2007, he noted he has been plagued with employee thefts. Employees, often with drug problems, have taken as little as $20 at a time to $450 recently.
"When people are on drugs, they will take whatever they can," he said. "I’d say about 90 percent of our problems here are all drug-related.