2 in city charged with stealing baby formula (The Journal Gazette)

2 in city charged with stealing baby formula
Published: March 16, 2011 3:00 a.m.
Dominic Adams | The Journal Gazette

FORT WAYNE – Formal charges were filed Tuesday against a pair from Mexico arrested last week and accused of working together to steal baby formula.

Police allege Lidia Martinez stole baby formula from nine stores throughout Fort Wayne from Feb. 23 to March 9. Martinez would put the formula in her purse and walk out without paying, according to court documents.

Mario Contreras would be waiting for Martinez in a vehicle in the parking lot and the two would flee, court documents said.

Contreras told police they would steal the formula and give it to a man who then takes it to Mexico, according to court documents.

Martinez, 23, faces felony charges of corrupt business influence and theft in Allen Superior Court. Contreras, 22, is charged with receiving stolen property and corrupt business influence.

Martinez was recorded on security cameras stealing formula on four different occasions, court documents said.

Police caught up with the two March 9 after watching Martinez on a security camera while she removed the security tags from the formula at a Kroger/Scott’s, according to court documents.

Martinez then left the cart full of formula and ran out to Contreras’ awaiting vehicle. When police stopped the vehicle they found 150 cans of formula worth $2,425.19, court documents said.

Although it is unknown why the formula was stolen in this case, The Associated Press reports the Food Marketing Institute, an industry group that maintains a list of the 50 most stolen items from supermarkets, said that cases of Similac-brand powdered formula ranked No. 7 and individual cans of Similac followed at No. 8. Powdered formula typically costs $10 to $30 a can, depending on size and brand, and $75 and up for a case.

Formula is an attractive target for shoplifters because they can resell it on the black market at a reduced price or use it to cut drugs, according to The Associated Press.

Contreras and Martinez are being held without bail at the Allen County Lockup on an unrelated immigration hold, according to a confinement officer.