Tide = Money?

Even though Snopes.com considers this piece of news "undetermined" in its veracity, I thought I would share it anyway.  For the record, I haven't noticed any change in local merchandising practices here in southeastern Connecticut.

A few days ago, I read a news article online that reported an increase in the theft of Tide laundry detergent.  At first I thought it was kind of funny, thinking to myself, "Who in the world would steal Tide?" and then chuckling aloud, "It is pretty expensive, even at Walmart."  Well, on the street, Tide is now known as "liquid gold," selling for $5-$10/container.  True, that is cheaper than the store price, but a theif who paid nothing for a 100-ounce jug is still pocketing a decent profit, even at $5 per bottle.  More disturbing than this steal-and-sell-cheap scheme is the allegation that Tide is being exchanged...for drugs.  Yes, you heard that correctly, spending laundry detergent is the new barter currency in the underground economy, in some cases being swapped for illegal substances boldly and brashly within full view of law enforcement officials.  In response to this development, CVS and other retailers are beginning to secure their supplies of Tide in order to hamper would-be thieves.  For a store in West St. Paul, though, it was too little too late.  A man in this Minnesota city stole $25,000 worth of Tide before anyone caught him.  Fortunately, he has been arrested and will be standing trial, probably in late May.

So, if you are a Tide customer, don't be surprised if your favorite stain-busting soap is in lock up the next time you visit your local supermarket, a victim of the times.

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