NEW YORK CITY — Some crime sprees defy explanation — and this is one of them. Thieves around the country are cleaning out store shelves of Tide detergent. In Minnesota, investigators told ABC News that one man stole $25,000 worth of Tide over the last 15 months. Police are mystified by the crime wave. Tide is sold from anywhere from $10 to $20, depending on the size of the container. But it’s unclear if the price is what’s making the detergent liquid gold on the streets. It is reportedly being traded for drugs, according to investigators in Maryland. CVS stores are taking precautions. “In a few markets we’ve placed security devices on Tide bottles that will trigger an alarm if the shop lifter tries to remove it from the store without paying,” a CVS spokesman said.
Tuesday, March 13, 6:30 a.m.
