THIS is the shocking moment thieves execute a “breakfast heist” and steal over 500 eggs.
CCTV footage captures the thugs raiding Luna Park Cafe in the area of south west Manning Street and south west Avalon Way, in Seattle, on February 5.
Luna Park Cafe via Storyful CCTV footage showed the thief fleeing the scene[/caption] Luna Park CafeThe Luna Park Cafe, in Seattle, was targeted[/caption] Luna Park Cafe via Storyful Luna Park Cafe owner Heong Park relived the moment he caught the thugs[/caption]Officers were called to the cafe at around 4.40am after staff members watched the theft unfold on security cameras.
Two men were seen breaking into the venue’s outdoor refrigerated area.
They made off in the show with several boxes, containing roughly 540 eggs, bacon, fruit, ham, ground beef and a turkey.
The loot, bundled into the back of a white van, was estimated to be worth a whopping $387.
It comes as shoppers have seen eye-watering price hikes at industry giants, including Costco and Trader Joe’s, due to the bird flu outbreak.
The owner of Luna Park Café, Heong Park, told Fox13: “It’s scary and now we are worried that they are going to come back.”
He relived the moment he discovered his small business had been targeted.
“My landlord called me about 10 minutes later and said someone broke into the restaurant, you need to get there,” said Mr Park.
“I spotted a white van with two guys stealing from my walk-in,” he added.
As the thieves saw the owner arrive they quickly fled the scene – leaving just two cases of eggs behind.
Mr Park reckoned the criminals could be planning on flogging the produce – which goes for a staggering $120 per 15 dozen.
Despite the hit, the Luna Cafe was open to customers the same morning.
The owner stressed how incidents such as this have a significant impact on independent businesses.
Anyone with information has been urged to contact Seattle police through their tip line at 206-233-5000.
Egg Prices by State
The average egg price for one dozen eggs by state is as follows:
Hawaii: $9.73 Florida: $6.36 Alabama: $6.12 Nevada: $6.07 California: $6.05 Arizona: $6.03 Georgia: $5.96 Maine: $5.84 Wyoming: $5.84 Colorado: $5.77 South Carolina: $5.76 Vermont: $5.70 Utah: $5.67 New Mexico: $5.65 Tennessee: $5.61 North Carolina: $5.60 Louisiana: $5.59 Connecticut: $5.54 Montana: $5.46 Texas: $5.43 New York: $5.37 Minnesota: $5.10 Rhode Island: $5.10 Idaho: $5.09 New Jersey: $5.05 Massachusetts: $5.04 Mississippi: $5.04 South Dakota: $5.00 Virginia: $4.96 Arkansas: $4.95 Oklahoma: $4.92 New Hampshire: $4.91 Washington: $4.91 North Dakota: $4.83 Illinois: $4.82 Michigan: $4.82 Oregon: $4.81 Delaware: $4.79 Maryland: $4.78 Wisconsin: $4.78 West Virginia: $4.64 Alaska: $4.61 Pennsylvania: $4.52 Kentucky: $4.51 Iowa: $4.44 Kansas: $4.41 Ohio: $4.39 Indiana: $4.33 Nebraska: $4.25 Missouri: $4.24Source: World Population Review
It comes as Costco, Trader Joe’s, and Walmart, have maintained relatively affordable prices amid the chaos while others, like Whole Foods Market and H-E-B, have seen prices as high as $10 and $12 per dozen.
Costco, Trader Joe’s, Sam’s Club, Target, Aldi, and more, along with other beloved stores like Sprouts Farmers Market, have been forced to place new limit policies on egg purchases to avoid selling out and all-out fights over the grocery essential.
While some shoppers feverishly stock up, others are going as far to smuggle eggs across the border to seemingly avoid the high costs.
A 29% uptick in eggs being confiscated at entry ports from Mexico to the United States from this time last year was cited by Customs and Border Protection, per the Los Angeles Times.
Customs and Border Patrol cannot comment on the reason behind the increase, but it isn’t surprising that the timing is alongside the bird flu outbreak.
It even led Sidney K. Aki, director of field operations at the San Diego office of the federal agency, to take to X to remind Americans that raw eggs cannot brought into the country from Mexico.
Americans will also encounter different prices on eggs depending on what state they’re shopping in.
Hawaii and Florida have been cited as having two of the highest averages for a dozen in recent months at $9.73 and $6.36, respectively.
The U.S. Sun recently had an exclusive conversation with Dr. Jim Keen, director of veterinary sciences for the Center for a Humane Economy and former research scientist with the USDA, for a deeper look at the ongoing crisis.
Dr. Keen noted that around 150 million birds have been affected since the H5N1 strain of the bird flu made its way to the United States.
It “spread like wildfire” and has quickly become the “most expensive animal disease outbreak in US history,” per the expert.
The USDA has invested over $1.7 billion to try and mitigate the bird flu outbreak, but it has “completely failed.”
According to Dr. Keen, even when the efforts do succeed, it will take some time for the situation to change for consumers.
“There is always a delay in addressing the egg supply shortage due to the control effort, the repopulation of poultry farms with new birds, and the time for pullets to reach egg-laying age,” he explained.
“I expect it will take several minutes for the egg shortage to be addressed and for egg prices to lower.”
Egg Purchase Limits at Major Grocers
Many major grocery stores have begun restricting egg purchases as the bird flu decimates poultry populations, resulting in a nationwide egg shortage.
Costco: three cartons per person Sam’s Club: two cartons per person BJ’s Wholesale Club: two cartons per person Kroger: two cartons per person at some stores Trader Joe’s: one dozen per person, per day Whole Foods: three cartons per person at some stores Safeway: two cartons per person at some stores Aldi: two cartons per person at some stores Sprouts Farmers Market: four cartons per person Walmart: two 60-count cartons per person Target: stores in Hawaii limiting purchases Luna Park Cafe via Storyful The thieves stole nearly $400 worth of food[/caption] Read More Details
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