No leads in Pennsylvania 100K egg heist

The theft of approximately 100,000 eggs from a warehouse in Pennsylvania has left authorities shellshocked.

The eggs were stolen Feb. 1 from Pete & Gerry’s Organic Eggs in Antrim Township. The company is one of the largest free-range egg producers in the country.

The theft may be due to the skyrocketing cost of eggs, said Trooper Megan Frazer for the Pennsylvania State Police. She estimated the total value of the eggs at about $40,000, making the crime a felony. She also said there are no leads in the case and called on the public for help.

“We’re relying on leads from people from the community. So, we’re hoping that somebody knows something, and they’ll call us and give us some tips,” Frazer said. “In my career, I’ve never heard of a hundred thousand eggs being stolen. This is definitely unique.” 

Egg prices are soaring after over 150 million chickens have been slaughtered in the United States to combat the spread of the H5N1 virus (bird flu) since 2022. The average price per dozen eggs in December was reportedly $4.15, hovering near its all-time high. In fact, the cost is so high that national 24/7 breakfast food chain Waffle House has announced a 50-cent surcharge per egg ordered until prices fall. 

Pete & Gerry’s CEO Tom Flocco said he’s disappointed the eggs were stolen, but his company will work quickly to put all the pieces back together again, starting with increasing its security measures.  

“I’ve worked in other industries before where things get stolen from factories. It happens. It’s terrible. I’m not happy about it, but it does happen,” he told Elizabeth Schulze on Good Morning America. “It could happen once; it could happen again. We are putting additional measures in place. We are working with local authorities in Pennsylvania and we’re giving them our full cooperation. We’ll let you know when we learn more.” 

While troubling on its own, this case may be part of a larger issue. Cargo thefts across the U.S. and Canada were up 27% in 2024. Consumable goods such as produce and grocery staples were some of the most targeted. 

“Eggs have always been a staple of American kitchens, but in recent years, they’ve become commodities of high economic value,” writes Forbes contributor Stephanie Gravalese. “Thanks to avian flu outbreaks and supply chain disruptions, egg prices have skyrocketed – doubling in 2022 and remaining high in 2025. And this isn’t an isolated story. CargoNet reported over 3,600 cargo thefts in 2024 – a 27% increase from the previous year – with consumable goods like nuts, avocados, and eggs among the top targets. These trends show how food has shifted from a kitchen staple to an economic asset worth stealing.” 

Emphasizing Gravalese’s point, police in Seattle are also looking for the thieves behind a recent “breakfast heist.” The thieves reportedly made off with over 500 eggs, bacon, ground beef, blueberries and “other egg products.” 

Police there say they responded Wednesday morning when an employee of Luna Park Café reported seeing the activity live on the business’s security cameras. 

Café owner Heong Park said when his landlord called him shortly after 3 a.m. Wednesday to alert him to the break-in, he rushed to the restaurant to try and stop the thieves.  

When he arrived, he saw two men loading food from his walk-in refrigerator into their van.  

“I spotted a white van with two guys stealing from my walk-in. As soon as he saw me, he kind of fled the scene. Luckily, I arrived soon enough they left two cases of eggs; they couldn’t steal everything.”