The Oro Valley Soap Caper

One of the major consequences of growth is an increase in crime. Take, for example, last month's "laundry detergent caper."

Oro Valley Police Department reported that thieves had gone into the Safeway in Rancho Vistoso and robbed the store of Tide Detergent. According to the report, two low-lifes, came into the store in September and took seven jugs of the potion.

Apparently, however, they were just casing the joint.

A month later "...the same man, along with an accomplice, entered the same Safeway. They began putting alcohol, razors, steaks and other toiletries into a cart." And Yes! "They loaded up seven jugs of Tide into the cart and walked out of the store. The value of the items were valued at $683.00."

Tide Detergent is a currency of the drug trade

Call Oro Valley  Detective Young 
at (520) 229- 4943, 911 or 88-crime 
If you see these lowlifes

Several years ago, TIME Online reported the scam.

"The popular detergent has apparently become a kind of currency on the black market. Tide, which sells for about $12 for a 100-oz. bottle and around $18 for 150 oz., reportedly goes for about half that on the streets. Some thieves have resold stolen bottles to stores, and the detergent has supposedly even been showing up in the homes of busted drug dealers."

Apparently, even "dirty drug dealers" need to use Tide Detergent

The "Gift Card Caper"

Last month, while at Fry's, we witnessed a woman in front of us purchasing gift cards. That's another scam. Steal a credit card. Then, go to a retailer and buy gift cards using that credit card. This is foolproof scheme because the gift cards are not registered to an individual.

And, of course, the woman wanted cash-back in the transaction.

The Fry's clerk asked to see the credit card to which the "lady low-life" was charging the purchases. Surprise! It wasn't her card. She said that it was her son's card. She grabbed it from the clerk. She ran out of the store.

No one chased after her.

No wonder these "low-lifes" come back for more.

The clerk smiled.

He told us that it happens all the time.

Guess that's life in the big city that is now Oro Valley.
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Thanks to Oro Valley resident Diane Peters for her help with this posting.