A Pennsylvania supermarket was forced to dispose of tens of thousands of dollars in food after a woman purposely coughed on products as a “twisted prank.”
On Wednesday night, the co-owner of Gerrity’s Supermarkets, Joe Fasula, released an announcement on Facebook that a woman entered one of the grocery stores and coughed over produce, meats, and baked goods, forcing the store to throw away $35,000 worth of food.
“While there is little doubt this woman was doing it as a very twisted prank, 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,” he wrote. “Working closely with the Hanover Township health inspector, we identified every area that she was in, we disposed of the product and thoroughly cleaned and disinfected everything.
“We are checking to see if our insurance company will cover it, but even if they do, our rates will surely go up next year. 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,” he continued.
Local police, who do not believe the woman has COVID-19, said she will face criminal charges for what Fasula called a “travesty.”
“The suspect has been identified and is being evaluated at a local hospital for a mental health evaluation. Criminal charges will be filed,” the Hanover Township Police Department wrote in an online post.
The incident came days after a New Jersey man was arrested for coughing on a grocery store employee and claiming to have the coronavirus. He was charged with making terroristic threats, harassment, and obstruction of justice.
