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Many products in supermarkets have become true relics, due to the dizzying rise in prices they have experienced in recent months. A stroll through the aisles is like looking into the windows of a jewelry store, full of padlocks and anti-theft protection. Still, the thieves go where they go and target very specific items. Once again this year, The Source Tagging Company (STC), a leader in the anti-theft protection sector, has published a study in which it has made an X-ray of the most stolen products by autonomous community. Can you guess which was the favorite of thieves in most areas?
Indeed, olive oil was the most stolen product in 8 autonomous communities, including Madrid, Catalonia, Valencia and Andalusia. But the product known as the new liquid gold came in second place, because the king product in terms of theft continues to be spirits and alcoholic beverages. Closing the Top 3, another highly coveted item: Iberian cured meats. In addition, there is no shortage of wines and shaving products. The study also shows that attempted thefts have increased in the last year and department stores expect them to continue to rise.
If we break it down by autonomous community, it is clear that oil has experienced a big rise in this ranking -last year it was not among the top five-. In addition to the aforementioned regions, we must also add Castilla-La Mancha, Extremadura, Aragón and the Balearic Islands. As regards spirits, it is the product most preferred by thieves in the regions of the Basque Country, Galicia, the Canary Islands and Murcia. Wines are in great demand in Asturias, Cantabria, Castilla y León and Navarra. While in La Rioja the main target is Iberian cured meats, and in Ceuta and Melilla, shaving products.
Unique products: from octopus in the North to chocolate in Madrid
The study also explores other products that, although they are not the most stolen, also stand out in each autonomous community. Thus, in the northern regions, it is striking that octopus is among the most stolen products in Galicia, Asturias and Cantabria, while in other areas such as Navarra, Ceuta and Melilla and the Basque Country, poachers focus on pickles and smoked products; and in Castilla-La Macha, tuna and bonito.
It is also curious that in Madrid, Murcia and La Rioja, thieves also have a sweet tooth and their booty includes a lot of chocolate. Meanwhile, in Andalusia, the Balearic Islands and Castile and Leon, they are more inclined to cheese. In Catalonia they opt for a more autochthonous product such as cava.
In the Valencian Community, coffee stands out, while in the Basque Country many products are also disappearing from cosmetics shelves. Finally, in Aragon, it is striking that they are moving more towards select meats.