100,000 eggs worth $40,000 stolen from trailer amid national shortage
100,000 eggs worth $40,000 stolen from trailer amid national shortage
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Avian flu and a busy holiday season are contributing to the supply shortage. Pennsylvania police are investigating after thieves stole 100,000 eggs worth $40,000 from a trailer last weekend. The heist took place at Pete & Jerry’s Organics, an egg supplier specializing in organic, pasture-raised and organic liquid egg whites. The eggs were stolen from the rear of a distribution trailer in Chambersburg, about 159 miles from Philadelphia, at 8:40 p.m.
A spokesperson for the Pennsylvania State Police did not provide additional details about the crime or state whether detectives had any leads or a known motive. The investigation is ongoing. The theft comes as the country continues to grapple with an egg shortage stemming from an increase in avian flu cases. Fifty million egg-laying hens died from the disease last year, with 14 million being killed in the last four weeks.
The retail value of eggs has been up year-over-year for 22 months and the country has just emerged from the holiday season, the busiest time for egg sales. “These two forces combined — tight supply and high demand — are directly causing the spike in wholesale prices we’ve seen recently, as well as the intermittent shortages of eggs at some retail locations and in different parts of the country,” American Egg Board CEO Emily Metz said in a written statement.
Ninety percent of the country’s eggs are laid by hens across the U.S. Last year, the country only imported over 5m eggs, all of which came from Turkey. In a statement, Pete & Gerry’s said it “is aware of a recent incident in Franklin County, Pennsylvania and we are actively working with local law enforcement to investigate. “We take this matter seriously and are committed to resolving it as quickly as possible. Due to the ongoing investigation, we cannot comment any further on this matter.”.
