WASHINGTON — Diapers. Laundry detergent. These household items can really add up, putting a potentially big dent in a family’s bank account.
In Maryland, shoplifting rings are solving the problem by stealing thousands of dollars of merchandise.
“This is big money,” Prince George’s police Lt. Bradley S. Pyle told the Gazette.
One Safeway store lost $15,000 a month from thefts of Tide detergent alone. And a World Nails in Hyattsville has been charged for paying $85 for $1,200 worth of goods, including shower gels and razors.
Prince George’s police created a special unit nine months ago to look into the problem. Since it’s inception, the unit has investigated $10 million in retail theft.