Black Market Baby Formula?

For most of this decade, baby formula has ranked as one of the top five most shoplifted items.

In 2007, it was in fifth place at 10 percent, behind meats, health and beauty products, liquor and razor blades, according to Supermarket Security and Loss Prevention 2008.

"Infant formula is often stolen by organized retail crime gangs and sold on the street, at flea markets, swap meets and on Internet auction sites," said Kathleen Thomas, manager of communications for the Food Marketing Institute in Arlington, Va. "It's a growing problem for retailers and a great risk to consumers who may unknowingly buy formula that may have been tampered with or repackaged to falsely extend their expiration dates."

Within the last week, Highlands County authorities have apprehended at least two persons and charged them with petty theft in relation to stolen baby items.

On Jan. 7, Blanca Sevilla, 40, of Bradenton, was arrested by officers with the Sebring Police Department after allegedly trying to steal six cans of baby formula from a local grocery store, according to arrest records.

The cans were 12.9 ounces and valued at $13.89 each, for a total of $83.34.

Then, on Tuesday, Sherice Latrall Robinson, 30, of 107 Cochran Drive, Lake Placid, was arrested by deputies with the Highlands County Sheriff's Office and charged with petty theft and possession of cocaine.

The charges stem from allegations that she stole five baby items from a Lake Placid supermarket, according to the arrest report. The items were valued at a total of $23.38, although the information does not specify what they were.

Baby Formula Not For Babies?

Powdered baby formula can range in price from $15 to $24, or even higher, according to Bill Alford, a loss prevention consultant with International Lighthouse Group in Charlotte, N.C.

"Baby formula is a highly pilfered item," Alford said. "Whenever we have thefts of baby formula, it goes back to they don't steal it unless they can resell it."

Sebring Police Cmdr. Steve Carr said he has not seen a major rash of these thefts in Sebring. The Jan. 7 incident was the first in some time.

Although he's never seen evidence of it, Alford said he has heard for years about baby formula being used to cut drugs.

Lt. Keith Starling, with the Highlands County Sheriff's Office, said if there is such cutting happening, it is with powdered cocaine.

"They might take a kilo of pure cocaine and they may cut it in half," Starling said.

Tough Economic Times

While some may blame the economy for causing folks to go to such desperate measures, Alford said there are plenty of assistance programs for parents who have fallen on hard financial times.

The economy is just another excuse for shoplifters to use. In the case of Sevilla, Alford said greed more than likely entered into play because a single can of formula will last a while.

"You don't need six cans unless you've got 12 children," he said. "They're justifying rationalizing doing what they know is wrong."

Lisa Funchess, coordinator for the Highlands County chapter of Women, Infants and Children (WIC), said her group is a special supplemental nutritional program that caters to approximately 3,598 people. Of that number, 1,467 are babies.

Program participants are given coupons at two-month intervals that can be redeemed at participating area grocery stores, according to Funchess.

"If they came in today, they would get coupons for January and February," she said.

Mary Foy, director of Highlands County Human Services, said people should never have to feel that crime is the answer to keep their loved ones fed.

"There are programs in this (area), good programs, that can help if there are families in need," she said.

FDA's Concerns

Baby formula thefts have not gone unnoticed by the Food and Drug Administration, according to Alford.

Since so much care is taken in manufacturing the products, the concern becomes what happens from the time it's stolen to the time it is sold on the black market or to a neighbor at a discounted price.

"They don't know where it's been and they give it to their kids," Alford said.