Millions of dollars in maple syrup stolen
As much as 80% of the world's maple syrup comes from Quebec.
August 31st, 2012
12:44 PM ET

Millions of dollars in maple syrup stolen

Talk about sticky-fingered thieves. They've struck in Quebec, snatching millions of dollars worth of maple syrup from a warehouse in Saint-Louis-de-Blandford, between Montreal and Quebec City.

Up to 10 million pounds of syrup was in the warehouse, according to a statement from the Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers, which bills itself as keeper of  the global strategic maple syrup reserve.

Officials could not say exactly how much of the product was stolen, but a Quebec police official told The Globe and Mail it was a substantial quantity.

“We know that it’s millions of dollars that was stolen,” Sgt. Richard Gagné is quoted as saying. “It’s a very large amount.”

The 10 million pounds of syrup that was in the warehouse is worth more than $30 million, according to the federation statement.

The theft was discovered during a routine inventory check of the warehouse, which "had been secured by a fence and locks, and visited regularly," federation president Serge Beaulieu said in the statement.

The barrels that originally contained the syrup were empty, meaning it was somehow transferred to some other kind of containers to complete the theft, the federation said.

The warehouse where the theft occurred was being used to temporarily store the sweet stuff while a new facility was being prepared.

As much as 80% of the world's maple syrup comes from Quebec, the federation said.

Though the federation is insured for the loss, if the stolen syrup makes its way onto the market, it could hurt the group's 10,000 members.

"The marketing of the stolen maple syrup will affect the entire maple industry. It is crucial to identify those responsible for this crime," the statement said.

“Obviously those people stole the maple syrup to sell it somewhere,” federation director Anne-Marie Granger Godbout told The Globe and Mail. “If it’s a big volume, it could be very harmful for the maple syrup industry. The companies that are working in this industry will have to compete with some company that didn’t pay for the maple syrup.”

The federation said the theft shouldn't affect supplies available to the public.

"The sales agency's maple syrup inventory is spread across several storage locations which were not subject to theft," Beaulieu said in the statement.

The amount in the warehouse represents about one-10th of Quebec's 2012 harvest and more than 25% of the federation's stock, CNN affiliate CBC reported.

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Filed under: Agriculture • Canada • Crime • Food
soundoff (418 Responses)
  1. Levi

    So now they're worried because someone can offer the syrup at a better rate. Clearly they're admitting to price fixing and should eb investigated anyway. A freakin small bottle of the stuff is 10 bucks and why should it be?? Screw you Canada!

    August 31, 2012 at 5:36 pm | Report abuse |
  2. fenchurch

    Now that's what I call a sticky situation.

    August 31, 2012 at 5:46 pm | Report abuse |
  3. Inciteful

    My theory is that the owners had already sold the syrup and, now, want to collect the insurance money to boot.

    August 31, 2012 at 5:50 pm | Report abuse |
    • Inciteful

      You might say someone is trying to double-dip.

      August 31, 2012 at 5:51 pm | Report abuse |
  4. cpc65

    " the Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers, which bills itself as keeper of the global strategic maple syrup reserve." ~ Not any more.

    August 31, 2012 at 5:50 pm | Report abuse |
  5. Larswald

    The global strategic maple syrup reserve? Seriously? Am I the only one who finds this hilarious?

    August 31, 2012 at 5:51 pm | Report abuse |
    • Sammy

      Sure, laugh, you're too young to remember the great maple syrup embargo of 1926.

      August 31, 2012 at 6:26 pm | Report abuse |
  6. cpc65

    It's a conspiracy I tells ya! A CONSPIRACY!!!! Damn Canadians!

    August 31, 2012 at 5:56 pm | Report abuse |
  7. GBert

    Um...could it...wouldn't it be...some loving bear made the heist and prepping for the long winters nap????

    August 31, 2012 at 5:57 pm | Report abuse |
  8. cpc65

    Put out an APB on Snidely Whiplash and tell Dudley to get off Nell and onto his trusty horse!

    August 31, 2012 at 6:00 pm | Report abuse |
    • Bud Brown

      or the other way around

      August 31, 2012 at 6:19 pm | Report abuse |
  9. isolate

    Three words: Paul Bunyan. Pancakes.

    August 31, 2012 at 6:01 pm | Report abuse |
  10. word-smythe

    In other news, 100,000 gallons of pancake batter were stolen from a warehouse in Edmonton, along with 5 tons of butter.

    August 31, 2012 at 6:03 pm | Report abuse |
  11. msradell

    A little hard to believe that somebody could steal that much without being caught! That's about 24 tanker trucks full of maple syrup, you were sure sing somebody would notice that much activity.

    August 31, 2012 at 6:05 pm | Report abuse |
  12. cpc65

    A search warrant was issued for residences of Mrs. Butterworth, Aunt Jemima and that Vermont Maid tramp.

    August 31, 2012 at 6:06 pm | Report abuse |
    • Bud Brown

      funny

      August 31, 2012 at 6:18 pm | Report abuse |
  13. rocinante

    Chemically tag the legit supply, then you can track back the illicit syrup to the source.

    August 31, 2012 at 6:09 pm | Report abuse |
  14. Steve S

    Pretty smart bears up in Canada.

    August 31, 2012 at 6:12 pm | Report abuse |
  15. Bud Brown

    Price of syrup is going up!

    August 31, 2012 at 6:18 pm | Report abuse |
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