It’s a hard-boiled case in the Keystone State.
Pennsylvania state police are scrambling to find the thieves who poached 100,000 organic eggs worth an estimated $40,000, officials say — as the nation grapples with the dreaded egg-flation.
The thieves cracked open the distribution trailer at Pete & Gerry’s Organics LLC, in Greencastle, on Saturday night, and made off with the eggs — leaving the company shell-shocked, cops said.
“Pete & Gerry’s is aware of a recent incident in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, and we are actively working with local law enforcement to investigate,” the company said in a statement.
“We take this matter seriously and are committed to resolving it as quickly as possible. Due to the ongoing investigation, we cannot comment any further on this matter.”
State police did not have any additional information about the egg heist as of Tuesday evening, with the case still under investigation.
The robbery took place as the prices of eggs continue to soar, with the national average cost of a dozen reaching $4.15 in December, according to the US Department of Agriculture, which warned that prices could increase by another 20% this year.
The so-called egg-flation has also led to incidents of price gouging across the nation, including in New York.
New York Attorney General Letitia James sent a warning that such up-charges would not be tolerated in the Empire State.
“Eggs are an essential grocery staple in households across the state, and New Yorkers should not pay ludicrous amounts just to feed their families,” James said in a statement.
Economists and agricultural experts say the cracked-up prices are the result of a bird flu outbreak that has forced farmers to slaughter millions of chickens every month.
More than 145 million chickens, turkeys and other fowl have been killed since the current outbreak began in 2022, with the vast majority of them being egg-laying chickens, US officials said.
The outbreak, which has Americans shelling out more than double what they did for eggs two years ago, still shows no sign of slowing down.
