http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/13548892.html
By Mark Geary, Reporter
Story Created: Jan 8, 2008
Story Updated: Jan 8, 2008
CEDAR RAPIDS -- Managers at several Cedar Rapids grocery stores recently noticed a certain product has become almost impossible to keep in stock. It's not because people are buying it.
This simple item is often used in muffins, cakes and even salad dressing. Now, some people have found another use for it and they're ripping it off the shelves.
You'd expect thieves to target a grocery store's pharmacy or even liquor department.
But, at several local Hyvee stores, criminals are shaking down the spice aisle...searching for poppy seeds.
"We would receive a shipment of the item in one evening, get it stocked and by noon the next day, all of it would be off the shelf," Hyvee manager Brian Wills said.
Managers couldn't understand why anyone would steal from the store's spice rack. A container of poppy seeds costs less than a buck.
"We thought maybe we missed something on a cooking show or something like that, and we just weren't keeping up," Wills said.
Store officials went on the internet and learned large amounts of the spice can be used to create poppy seed tea.
The drink acts like morphine and can make people feel high or even hallucinate. Other more serious side effects are also possible.
"Some of the effects they may feel will be dizziness, nausea, sedation, itching and cardiac arrest. So, these are not real desirable symptoms," addiction specialist Shawn Stepp said.
At many Hyvee stores, theft got so bad, the spice now sits behind the service desk.
"It's not typical for a retail operation to pay an awful lot of attention to their spices," Wills said.
It's a small, cheap ingredient tucked among shelves of more appetizing items to steal.
But, managers say they couldn't keep the spice in stock, so they had to do something.
Addiction experts say it takes several pounds of poppy seeds just to make one cup of the tea. Remember, the drink can be dangerous and even fatal.
Nutmeg can also act as a dangerous narcotic when taken in large quantities. However, stores tell us they haven't had a problem with people stealing that spice.
E-mail Mark Geary at [email protected]
By Mark Geary, Reporter
Story Created: Jan 8, 2008
Story Updated: Jan 8, 2008
CEDAR RAPIDS -- Managers at several Cedar Rapids grocery stores recently noticed a certain product has become almost impossible to keep in stock. It's not because people are buying it.
This simple item is often used in muffins, cakes and even salad dressing. Now, some people have found another use for it and they're ripping it off the shelves.
You'd expect thieves to target a grocery store's pharmacy or even liquor department.
But, at several local Hyvee stores, criminals are shaking down the spice aisle...searching for poppy seeds.
"We would receive a shipment of the item in one evening, get it stocked and by noon the next day, all of it would be off the shelf," Hyvee manager Brian Wills said.
Managers couldn't understand why anyone would steal from the store's spice rack. A container of poppy seeds costs less than a buck.
"We thought maybe we missed something on a cooking show or something like that, and we just weren't keeping up," Wills said.
Store officials went on the internet and learned large amounts of the spice can be used to create poppy seed tea.
The drink acts like morphine and can make people feel high or even hallucinate. Other more serious side effects are also possible.
"Some of the effects they may feel will be dizziness, nausea, sedation, itching and cardiac arrest. So, these are not real desirable symptoms," addiction specialist Shawn Stepp said.
At many Hyvee stores, theft got so bad, the spice now sits behind the service desk.
"It's not typical for a retail operation to pay an awful lot of attention to their spices," Wills said.
It's a small, cheap ingredient tucked among shelves of more appetizing items to steal.
But, managers say they couldn't keep the spice in stock, so they had to do something.
Addiction experts say it takes several pounds of poppy seeds just to make one cup of the tea. Remember, the drink can be dangerous and even fatal.
Nutmeg can also act as a dangerous narcotic when taken in large quantities. However, stores tell us they haven't had a problem with people stealing that spice.
E-mail Mark Geary at [email protected]
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All these stories do is teach more kids what they can get high on from wal-mart
