Needles being found in strawberry punnets

[psyche101]

9 hours ago, Astra. said:

Surely one young 'brat' kid couldn't have been responsible for all of the needles found in the punnets of strawberry's. I think there were at least three States in Australia that were affected. That's a lot of needles...and a whole lot of strawberry's. Must have been a few copycats that jumped on board as well. It's fairly obvious as well... that this kid needs some serious psychological evaluation.  

Seeming as it has hit 6 states  I think Timothy is on the right track. I'd start the investigation with the pickers. 

[Habitat]

I am having troubling understanding this, an isolated occurrence leads to all this, country-wide. I am amazed.

[psyche101]

8 minutes ago, Habitat said:

I am having troubling understanding this, an isolated occurrence leads to all this, country-wide. I am amazed.

Did you miss this from the OP? 

 

Contaminated punnets have now been reported in six states and territories. 

[Astra.]

16 minutes ago, psyche101 said:

Seeming as it has hit 6 states  I think Timothy is on the right track. I'd start the investigation with the pickers. 

Yes, the actual pickers could well be responsible. It makes much more sense rather than earlier news reports that gave the impression that one kid was behind this..truly ridiculous. As who better, such as the pickers have easier access to these fruits.

Since it's become such a national problem...sounds like there were/are many involved whom had no doubt methodically planned and executed this sabotaging of fruit. Question is why ???

Also, apparently it was a silly 12 yr old girl (not a boy as earlier reported) who used this crisis of fruit tampering as a prank.

https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/tv/today-show-host-karl-stefanovic-tackles-strawberry-crisis/news-story/8c456b9b07b1a6c9969fe151b05a1c7b

[Habitat]

1 hour ago, psyche101 said:

Did you miss this from the OP? 

 

Contaminated punnets have now been reported in six states and territories. 

It's a police matter, nothing more, the most disturbing thing is the ratbag politicians in Canberra grandstanding for political advantage out of it.

[Astra.]

33 minutes ago, Habitat said:

It's a police matter, nothing more, the most disturbing thing is the ratbag politicians in Canberra grandstanding for political advantage out of it.

This is not just one isolated case as was first thought. It's become a huge problem that has spread far and wide throughout the country. NZ has also stopped Australian fruit (such as selling strawberry's so far) to the public.

It's hurting the fruit farmers, and scaring many consumers off from buying fruit. They are not calling it a crisis for the fun of it.

Despite the fact that I can't stand politicians at the best of times. I simply can't see how they would take advantage of it by grandstanding. This has become a real concern for everybody, as this vile and sick tampering of our fruit continues.

Maybe you wont be so blasé about it if or when all fruit may have to be removed from the Super Market shelves etc....or after a toddler / child swallows a needle. Lets hope they catch those involved soon before it escalates even further. What's next on their hit-list...vegetables and other produce as well ?.. 

Edited September 20, 2018 by Astra.

[psyche101]

2 hours ago, Astra. said:

Yes, the actual pickers could well be responsible. It makes much more sense rather than earlier news reports that gave the impression that one kid was behind this..truly ridiculous. As who better, such as the pickers have easier access to these fruits.

Since it's become such a national problem...sounds like there were/are many involved whom had no doubt methodically planned and executed this sabotaging of fruit. Question is why ???

Also, apparently it was a silly 12 yr old girl (not a boy as earlier reported) who used this crisis of fruit tampering as a prank.

https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/tv/today-show-host-karl-stefanovic-tackles-strawberry-crisis/news-story/8c456b9b07b1a6c9969fe151b05a1c7b

Yes, it's not like the Sizzler scare a few years back, the only thing that makes sense of the distribution is going back to the pickers. 

[psyche101]

1 hour ago, Habitat said:

It's a police matter, nothing more, the most disturbing thing is the ratbag politicians in Canberra grandstanding for political advantage out of it.

Its definitly more, its a serious risk to consumers. 

[Astra.]

28 minutes ago, psyche101 said:

Yes, it's not like the Sizzler scare a few years back, the only thing that makes sense of the distribution is going back to the pickers. 

Yeah, the rat pellets that were found in the salad bar(s) at Sizzlers...horrible to say the least. And the damage that such food poisoning / tampering can cause to popular eating places etc....is not only financially crippling.. but also dangerous to the public's health. In many instances it can take a long while before consumer confidence bounces back. This type of 'sick' act has happened in other countries as well. What low-life cowards they are. 

[Eldorado]

Woolworth's halts the selling of sewing needles over the strawberry scare.

""We've taken the precautionary step of temporarily removing sewing needles from sale in our stores across the country," the supermarket told the BBC.

Woolworths could not say for how long they would keep their sewing needles from sale."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-45584140

A tad hysterical, I reckon.  A $5000 Reward sign outside their stores for grassing up the culprits would be better and maybe a warning from the nation's Law Officers that no matter who the culprit is or what age they are or how many there are of them, they're going to be caught and going to be "sewing mail bags" for a lot of years,.

[Habitat]

Major investigative failure that they haven't got to the bottom of this, by now.

[Kismit]

1 hour ago, Habitat said:

Major investigative failure that they haven't got to the bottom of this, by now.

Looking at the pattern of distribution I don't think finding the bottom is a simple task.

There does not seem to be a fixed location. This would indicate more than one source of contamination. 

The police have arrested a 15 year old boy, but appear to be certain he was a copycat. Several claims may well be cases of people trying to get notoriety. ( A common problem in todays Instagram celebrity era). Perhaps a 4/8Chan group of idiots is behind it, perhaps it is random people inspired by stupidity,  but it is not a simple case.

[Habitat]

14 minutes ago, Kismit said:

Looking at the pattern of distribution I don't think finding the bottom is a simple task.

There does not seem to be a fixed location. That indicates more than one source of contamination. 

The police have arrested a 15 year old boy, but appear to be certain he was a copycat. Several claims may well be cases of people trying to get notoriety. ( A common problem in todays Instagram celebrity era). Perhaps a 4/8Chan group of idiots is behind it, perhaps it is random people inspired by stupidity,  but it is not a simple case.

Many working picking and packing are  travelling back-packers, maybe some kind of joke by people known to one another, connected via internet, but working in different places. But the media is mute about any progress in investigations.

Edited September 20, 2018 by Habitat

[Kismit]

13 hours ago, Habitat said:

Many working picking and packing are  travelling back-packers, maybe some kind of joke by people known to one another, connected via internet, but working in different places. But the media is mute about any progress in investigations.

I believe that the media being mute is beneficial to an investigation.  

The more information is public knowledge, the harder it is to spot the guy who knows more than he should.

 

[Habitat]

21 minutes ago, Kismit said:

I believe that the media being mute is beneficial to an investigation.  

The more information is public knowledge, the harder it is to spot the guy who knows more than he should.

 

I reckon they don't want to spook whoever they suspect is behind it, and send them into hiding. 

[Kismit]

4 minutes ago, Habitat said:

I reckon they don't want to spook whoever they suspect is behind it, and send them into hiding. 

There is very little chance of hiding something like this from the Australian police or public at this stage of things.

I do however believe that the waters have been muddied by people who want a little fame. It is all too easy for some idiot to put a needle in some fruit, claim they found it there, because they wanted to be noticed or thought they might get compensation. 

[Habitat]

4 minutes ago, Kismit said:

There is very little chance of hiding something like this from the Australian police or public at this stage of things.

I do however believe that the waters have been muddied by people who want a little fame. It is all too easy for some idiot to put a needle in some fruit, claim they found it there, because they wanted to be noticed or thought they might get compensation. 

I hadn't thought of the compensation angle, maybe there are people thinking they can get a payout by presenting a punnet of strawberries that they themselves have tampered with. A lot has yet to come out about this.

[Habitat]

Urgent Recall Ordered On Drought Relief After Struggling Farmer Finds Needle In A Haystack

Quote

In a new twist to what is being described by analysts as the biggest man made risk to Australian Agribusiness since the formation of the Australian Greens Party, hysteria has today ramped up as a Betoota Plains farmer discovered a needle in a haystack which had been delivered to his farm as part of the nation-wide drought relief campaign.

Police were called to the drought stricken Channel Country cattle station this morning when Anthony, a local 5th generation farmer, made the troubling discovery.

With the farm located squarely in a district that has been Drought Declared since July 2015, Anthony reckons it was just like any other typical morning.

http://forum.thoroughbredvillage.com.au/the-world-has-gone-mad_topic62891.html

[Sir Smoke aLot]

I just can't believe in this silly story  

[Eldorado]

Consumers rally behind strawberry growers.

"Strawberry sales have bounced back after a week that featured dumped strawberries, social media-driven strawberry recipe campaigns and strong support from state and federal leaders for the industry.  The result has been a surge in sales for strawberry growers after the previous disastrous week, which featured new reports of sabotaged strawberries and mixed messages from government agencies.

At the beginning of the week, wholesalers were selling strawberries for $3 a box when they would normally get $16 a box.  They were cancelling orders from growers around the country, who were in turn forced to dump their produce.  The lower prices and support for farmers sent consumers on a buying spree later in the week, with many reports of outlets selling out.  Coles reported a big spike in demand late on Thursday."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2018-09-21/strawberry-sales-bounce-back-consumers-support-farmers/10289856

[Habitat]

News reports now circulating, mentioning "mafia" connections of the ownership of the large packing and distribution operation where at least some of these tampered strawberries emanate from.

[Eldorado]

The Australian scare over needles found in strawberries has spread to New Zealand after needles were found in a punnet of the fruit in an Auckland supermarket.

The Countdown supermarket chain said it had taken a brand of Australian strawberries off the shelves.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-45617660

[Eldorado]

A 50-year-old woman has been arrested and charged over the strawberry contamination scare that began in south-east Queensland in September.

She is expected to face the Brisbane Magistrates Court on Monday after being charged on Sunday night with seven counts of contaminating goods.

Police will allege the woman intended to cause harm by planting needles in strawberries.

Queensland Police described the national investigation into the contamination as "complex" and "extensive".

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-11-11/strawberry-needle-scare-woman-arrested-in-queensland/10486418

Strawberry needle contamination: Accused woman motivated by spite, court hears.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-11-12/strawberry-needle-contamination-woman-to-face-court/10486770

Edited November 12, 2018 by Eldorado

[Habitat]

They are trying to "pin" it on her !

[druan]

12 minutes ago, Habitat said:

They are trying to "pin" it on her !

Needle’ss to say she deserves it