Pennsylvania State Police are investigating an egg heist in Greencastle, about 65 miles southwest of Harrisburg, over the weekend. The very thought of such a crime may seem unimaginable, but with wholesale egg prices reaching record highs, the thieves appear to have been paying close attention to recent developments surrounding the worsening nationwide egg shortage.
Local media outlet WHP-TV reported approximately 100,000 organic eggs (worth > $40,000) were stolen from the back of Pete & Gerry's Organics' distribution trailer on Saturday night in Greencastle.
100K Pete & Gerry's Organic Eggs worth $40K, stolen!https://t.co/qWUpJgV2sI pic.twitter.com/ZWPo4PEoZy
— Candace Scalese (@CandaceScalese) February 4, 2025
"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," Pete & Gerry's, part of the better-known egg distributor Nellie's Free Range, wrote in a statement.
Authorities did not offer any insight into how such a large theft could have occurred unnoticed or if they had any potential leads in the case.
The egg heist comes as the latest wholesale data from Urner Barry shows whole egg prices hit a new record on Monday amid an ongoing and devastating avian influenza outbreak straining the nation's egg-producing hen capacity.
Monday's print of the Urner Barry Egg Index EBP shows prices jumped to $6.44 per dozen, a new record high and more than $1 above from two weeks ago when we informed readers about the "blue-sky breakout" in wholesale prices.
'Eggflation' doesn't stop at the grocery store. US restaurants are also being impacted: Waffle House has added a 50 cent per egg surcharge across all menus. The causal diner chain wrote in a press release:
"The continuing egg shortage caused by HPAI (bird flu) has caused a dramatic increase in egg prices. Customers and restaurants are being forced to make difficult decisions."
Coming to a supermarket near you...
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