Small grocery store throws away $35K worth of food after woman allegedly coughs on it
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
A grocery store in northeastern Pennsylvania says it was forced to throw away over $35,000 worth of food out of concern over the coronavirus pandemic after a woman deliberately coughed over it.
The co-owner of Gerrity's Supermarket, Joe Fasula, said the woman purposefully coughed on food in several sections of the store, including the produce area, bakery section and meat case, according to The Washington Post .
Employees escorted the woman out of the store and alerted the police, and a health inspector was contacted for further inspections. Fasula said the woman is not known to be infected with COVID-19 but will likely receive testing by local authorities.
The incident resulted in over $35,000 in groceries being thrown away, Fasula said in a message to customers posted on social media.
"Today was a very challenging day," Fasula wrote in the post . "While there is little doubt this woman was doing it as a very twisted prank, we will not take any chances with the health and well-being of our customers."
He posted pictures of supermarket employees wheeling away carts full of fresh produce and meats that were thrown away out of concern of contamination.
"We are doing our best to provide everyone a safe environment & the items they need during this time, including our seniors & those who are immunocompromised when there is already panic w/ supply & hoarding. To have to waste food due to this breaks our hearts," Fasula tweeted .
Grocery stores have been among the businesses most strained by the pandemic, as demand for essential food and supplies skyrockets amid the growing infection rate in the country.
Other markets have reported similar incidents. In one Virginia grocery store, teenagers were found filming videos of themselves coughing on items in the produce section.
Police issued a statement, calling for parents and guardians to monitor and condemn unruly and irresponsible behavior.
"We have learned that this appears to be a disturbing trend on social media across the country, and we ask for help from parents to discourage this behavior immediately," Purcellville, Va., police wrote. "Please talk with your children and explain to them why such behavior is wrong, especially given the current situation regarding the spread of Coronavirus."
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Seriously - where in the hell do these people get the idea that it would be "funny" to cough on food in today's times???
Read this story (amongst other similar ones) earlier today. I can only hope offenders are punished to the fullest extent of the law and pay full restitution for any losses.
I think it takes a combination of stupid, mentally ill, and just being an asshole.
Agreed and I'd like to add immature and self-absorbed
Put her silly ass in jail. There are hate groups threatening to 'poison' society with the Coronavirus through various methodologies. Knowing this, authorities have no choice but to identify her and her 'virulent' activities and throw the book at her. This is not game. Food wasted is not a good thing. Oh and by the way, we all should assume that food has been coughed on and damaged by the manipulations of others during the store day as it is. Practice soap and water on your veggies, cans, and bottles.
DOJ is looking at adding these activities as terrorist acts. If so, I truly pity someone who gets caught.
Why would you pity people such as this moron?
I agree. Here is another coupla little idiots 'flittin' around in our stores betraying our trust.
Sick millennial bastard licks deodorant bottles in the store amidst coronavirus pandemic March 2020
'I have the Coronavirus': Man wearing sign sprays Lysol on merchandise at Walmart
See what is called for is a little less talking to people and a good old fashioned "wooo-eeee" set of knots on their heads with the proper end of a police baton.
I want to point out something, in the last several days I have experienced seeing more and more elderly folks who are driven to come out of their homes and shop for themselves during this health crises. Then, you see indefensible videos like this of dastardly stupidity or diabolical maliciousness playing out in stores some-wheres. We are doomed by the weakest of links which connect us all together sometimes.
When are we going to run out of lunatics?
Darwin Awards ain't gonna have enough trophies.
That's ok, generally winners are unable to accept them anyway
She should repay every penny, after her ass sits in prison for a while. Preferably a prison with a toilet paper supply issue.
If I saw someone coughing on food purposely I wouldn't have a problem with laying them out (man, women, or kid). If I got arrested for assault so be it.
This is local to me. Here's the local story with what she is charged with.
Along with the charges the moron faces she should be charged with attempted murder.
That was what I thought as well.