Thieves Allegedly Pulled Off Massive Olive Oil Heist in Texas

A massive olive oil heist in Texas was reportedly pulled off last month, with alleged thieves making off with $2.5 million worth of premium product.

At a Glance

$2.5 million worth of Terra Delyssa olive oil was stolen from a Texas warehouse.
18 truckloads containing over 350,000 bottles of olive oil were taken.
The stolen product is now reportedly being sold at half to one-fourth of its retail price.
CHO America urges store owners to report suspiciously low-priced offers.
This is the second recent theft of Terra Delyssa products.

The Great Olive Oil Caper

In a brazen act that has left the culinary world reeling, thieves allegedly made off with $2.5 million worth of premium Terra Delyssa olive oil from a Texas warehouse last month. The heist, which took place in Houston, involved a staggering 18 truckloads, each containing 29 pallets with 672 bottles of the liquid gold.

The warehouse, located on Navigation Road in Houston, had reportedly gone out of business and lacked operational security cameras, providing an opportune target for the thieves. CHO America, the maker of Terra Delyssa olive oils, believes this was not a random act but rather an organized crime. The company’s CEO, Wajih Rekik, expressed his disbelief at the scale of the theft.

“It’s not someone who likes olive oil, because there is no way he can drink that much olive oil,” Rekik told reporters.

A Slippery Trail

The theft went unnoticed for weeks until the stolen olive oil surfaced in an unexpected place. Thanks to traceability features and trackable lot numbers, one pallet of the purloined product was recovered from a Houston store selling it at a significantly reduced price. This discovery has led to a wider investigation, with authorities and CHO America working to trace the rest of the stolen goods.

The stolen olive oil, which normally retails between $15 to $27 per bottle, is now being sold at half or even one-fourth of its usual price.

A Pattern of Theft

This is reportedly not the only major theft incident the company has experienced recently. CHO America reported a similar theft at their Canadian facility just weeks prior to the Houston heist. In that case, a truck carrying over 12,000 bottles of Terra Delyssa olive oil was stolen after leaving the Montreal warehouse.

“Knowing our product is being sold at half-price or one-fourth the price at some stores now is devastating, too,” Rekik said while speaking of the Texas theft.

Terra Delyssa is known for its organic, 100% Tunisian olive oil. CHO America is urging store owners and consumers to be vigilant and report any suspiciously low-priced offers of Terra Delyssa olive oil.

Economic Ripple Effects

The theft comes at a particularly challenging time for the olive oil industry. Terra Delyssa had recently increased its prices due to poor crop production in Tunisia caused by bad weather. This price hike, coupled with the flood of stolen product on the market, creates a complex economic scenario that could have long-lasting effects on both producers and consumers.

As authorities continue their investigation, this olive oil caper serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities in our food supply chain and the need for enhanced security measures, especially for high-value products. It also highlights the importance of consumer awareness in recognizing and reporting suspiciously underpriced goods, which may be the result of criminal activities.