Store must toss $35,000 in food after prankster coughs on it, Pennsylvania cops say
A Pennsylvania supermarket was forced to throw away $35,000 worth of meat and produce this week after a woman coughed on it as part of a suspected coronavirus prank, the store’s co-owner says.
The alleged incident happened shortly after 2 p.m. Wednesday at Gerrity’s Supermarket in Hanover Township, about 120 miles northwest of Philadelphia.
Hanover Township Police identified the woman as 35-year-old Margaret Cirko.
In a lengthy Facebook post, co-owner Joe Fasula said a woman “came in to the store and proceeded to purposely cough on our fresh produce, and a small section of our bakery, meat case and grocery.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say the potentially fatal coronavirus can spread via “respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes” on nearby people or objects.
“While there is little doubt this woman was doing it as a very twisted prank,” Fasula wrote, “we will not take any chances with the health and well-being of our customers. We had no choice but to throw out all product she came in contact with.”
Store employees “did the best they could to get the woman out of the store as fast as possible,” and the police were called, he said.
Hanover Township police say Cirko coughed and spit while in the store and “intentionally contaminated produce/meat/merchandise for sale.”
She then tried to steal a 12-pack of beer on her way out, police said on Facebook.
She has been charged with two counts of felony terrorist threats, one count of felony threats to use a ”biological agent,” and one felony count of criminal mischief, police said. Cirko also faces misdemeanor counts of criminal attempt to commit retail theft and disorderly conduct, the post said.
Fasula said he did not know if the woman actually had the coronavirus. However, the store took no chances and “thoroughly cleaned and disinfected everything” she coughed on, he wrote.
“Although we have not yet quantified the total loss, we estimate the value to be well over $35,000. We are checking to see if our insurance company will cover it,” Fasula wrote.
“I am also absolutely sick to my stomach about the loss of food. While it is always a shame when food is wasted, in these times when so many people are worried about the security of our food supply, it is even more disturbing.”
News outlets around the world have reported on adults and teens involved in coughing pranks associated with the coronavirus, which has infected nearly 500,000 people and killed more than 22,000 globally, according to Johns Hopkins University.
Officials in New Jersey announced March 24 that a 50-year-old man was being charged with third-degree “terroristic threats” and harassment after he allegedly coughed on a food store employee.
This story was originally published March 26, 2020 at 6:55 AM with the headline "Store must toss $35,000 in food after prankster coughs on it, Pennsylvania cops say."