Tide Theft: Authorities, Retailers Deny A Rise in Soap Swiping

A day after a published news report that authorities are setting up special task forces to stop the rampant theft of Tide detergent across the nation, both police and retailers are denying that the crime is on the rise.

The Daily reported on Monday that authorities from New York to Oregon are keeping a watchful eye on the detergent theft in retail stores and that some cities are putting resources to help stop it. The iPad publication also stated that special precautions are being taken to prevent the soap theft.

But it seems the crime wave was exaggerated, as police in two state reference by The Daily told Fox News that Tide detergent are commonly stolen, but that they haven't seen any specific rise in that crime.

In fact, Lt. Matt Swenke of the West St. Paul Police Department in Minnesota, told Fox News that laundry detergent is a needed commodity.

We haven't noticed anything in terms of this being a rising problem, Swenke said.

He mentioned that there was a case in which one person was suspected of stealing $25,000 worth of Tide detergent from a Walmart in West St. Paul over a 15-month period.

The man, Patrick Costanzo, 53, was seen on surveillance video putting the detergent and other items in his shopping cart and leaving the building without paying, Fox reported. Additionally, the police told Fox that Walmart is the only one of the five major retailers in the West St. Paul to come about the missing Tide.

The rising Tide theft story was also not supported by authorities in Kentucky.

Lt. Shannon Smith of the Somerset Police Department told Fox that goods like Tide can are easily make cash on the black market.

The rising Tide theft story was also discussed on ABC's Good Morning America and former FBI Special Agent Brad Garrett told the show that Tide is highly recognizable.

It's very difficult to trace and it's easily resold, he said.

Reports are that Tide can go for about half the price, $5 to $10 per bottle, on the balck market.