Authorities Looking For Meat Thief In Prior Lake

PRIOR LAKE, Minn. (WCCO) -- We've been reporting for several years on meat prices going up.  Now, it seems some thieves are capitalizing on those prices.

Authorities say someone broke into a pad-locked frozen meat truck as it was parked in Prior Lake. The thief stole $5,000 worth of meats.

As it turns out, meat thefts are happening all over the country.

John Schechter runs Halverson's Steaks in Edina.

"We specialize in beef, we do chicken and seafood products," he said.

But as of late, supply is a little thin. Someone busted into a van and stole $5,000 worth of protein.

"T-bone steaks, porter house filets, rib-eyes, really nice angus burgers, lobster," Schechter said. "Whatever they were going to use that for I'm not sure but whoever got it is taken care of for a while."

There's a chance they may be selling it on the meat black market. So the Minnesota Department of Agriculture says if someone is selling you meat in an unconventional way to ask to see a USDA or MDA license and a photo ID.

Margaret Hart with Minnesota Department of Agriculture gave WCCO their policy:

Door-to-Door Meat Sales

Selling meat and seafood in Minnesota, including through door-to-door sales operations, requires a food handling license from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture.  Whenever someone is offering to sell food products door-to-door, you should request to see their food handling license (see attached example).  All sales should be conducted with an accompanying brochure that describes the products being sold and includes the contact information for any complaints or returns.

The USDA Food Safety Inspection Service provides more detailed information for consumers on door-to-door meat sales.

Earlier this year in Oregon, two food carts were accused of using stolen meat.  Food writer and street food website author Brett Burmeister of Portland told our CBS affiliate KOIN, "I think there are people who buy things off the back of trucks just to save a few pennies."

In Washington State, surveillance video shows a man lifting two hundred pounds of meat from a family-owned store.  Back in Minnesota, officers are trying to figure out if the thieves are re-selling or keeping their own stomachs content.

"It was the jackpot, it was the jackpot for them. They got some good stuff," Schechter said.

So it's important to ask to see a license. If you know anything about the Prior Lake thefts, police want to hear from you. You're asked to call the Prior Lake Police Department at (952) 440-3555.