The 10 Weirdest Items Stolen by Thieves

Time magazine recently published an article outlining strange items thieves commonly steal. We would expect to see the usual items such as money, jewelry, electronics, illegal drugs and weapons.

However, topping the list were 10 very unusual, surprising items burglars love to get their hands on that we bet some you may even have stocked in your own home!

1. Laundry Detergent

Laundry detergent is one common item burglars love to steal. It has no tracking numbers (making it very hard to trace), is typically stocked in every household and is an expensive good used for trade or to even sell back to stores.

In particular, burglars love Tide!

2. Allergy Medications

According to a 2013 crime survey conducted by the National Retail Federation (NRF), allergy medication is a very common stolen item among organized retail crime gangs.

The medication is in high demand, and is either resold as a cheaper alternative to those that suffer from allergies, or to recreational users of antihistamines.

3. Pregnancy Tests

According to the NRF, pregnancy tests were one of the most shoplifted items last year. It is hypothesized they are stolen because of embarrassment of buying them, however, like laundry detergent, pregnancy tests are in high demand, and can be resold for close to retail value.

4. Catalytic Converters

This car part is made from expensive metals including platinum, rhodium and palladium. Platinum, for example, have risen to $1,400 per ounce. Although some states, such as California, have mandated legislation to help curb the sale of these stolen parts, recyclers have little incentive to turn these criminals away.

5. Manhole Covers

Another item prized for scrap metal, this heavy haul is mostly composed of iron.

Manhole covers can weigh up to 300 pounds, but thieves have figured out ways for discreetly stealing them, such as customized trucks with holes in the floor, or dressing as a construction worker.

Missing manhole covers pose a threat to the public's safety, and cost the city big bucks to replace.

6. Nutella

This delicious hazelnut spread is another surprising item thieves love to steal, with cases popping up all over the world.

In 2013, around 11,000 pounds of Nutella, valued roughly at $20,000, was lifted from a parked cargo truck in Germany.

At Columbia University, students were stealing a whopping 100 pounds of the spread daily from the dining halls. The first week the university spent over $5,000 on Nutella, and incurred thousands each week to keep it stocked.

7. Sap

The process for making 1 gallon of maple syrup requires 40 gallons of sap. The labor intensive process makes sap an expensive commodity. “In 2012, there was a large-scale heist in Quebec, which produces much of the world’s maple syrup. Thieves stole millions of dollars worth of syrup from a Canadian warehouse, leading to more than a dozen arrests.”

8. Shubbery

“According to The Guardian, there is a legal ornamental plant market worth billions of dollars, and the high demand among collectors attracts illicit activity. The most coveted plants are species of rare orchid and cacti. Some plants traded on the black market are of endangered species and can be hundreds of years old. Cycads can be worth more than $1,000 per specimen and are frequently stolen around the world.”

9. Small Boats

“According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, there were more than 1,400 boat thefts in Florida in 2012, more than in any other state, and more than 5,800 such thefts nationwide. That year, jet skis were particularly popular among thieves.”

Small boats are easy for thieves to steal as most are already hitched onto a trailer, and stored in easily accessible places.

Fishing equipment and tackle, boating electronics and other accessories are also targeted by thieves.

10. Steaks

“According to an NPR newscast last year, cattle theft increased dramatically from the year before, with more than 10,000 cows or horses going missing in 2013.” Steak is one of the most expensive cuts. With the demand for beef, combined with the rising production and yield costs of cattle and corn, thieves are seeing a profit from stolen livestock.