CVS Puts Anti-Theft Devices on Bottles of Tide

Tide thefts popular in area

Apparently Tide’s not a hot item in Prince George’s County, Md., alone.

Wyeth Ruthven sent News4 a picture of anti-theft devices hooked up to jugs of the bleach at the CVS at Connecticut Avenue and L Street in northwest D.C.

News4’s Pat Collins previously reported on the Tide theft trend in Prince George’s County and the progress police there have made.

So-called boosters load shopping carts with Tide and race out of the stores. The Tide is then resold at flea markets, convenience stores, nail salons and bus stops.

It may not seem like the most profitable crime, but a Safeway store reported losing $15,000 per month in stolen Tide, and Prince George’s County police Lt. Brad Pyle said $5 bottles of Tide were being resold for almost $25. One suspect was arrested with a car full of Tide and $96,000 in the bank.

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