What Is the Most Stolen Item at Grocery Stores Around the World?

And why are people stealing it so much?

Have you ever wondered what the most stolen item in a grocery store is?

Your mind may immediately go to the high price items like meat, seafood or the "sinful" items like alcohol or condoms but all of these guesses are wrong. The correct answer is actually....

CHEESE.

That's right, according to a 2011 survey by Centre for Retail Research, cheese was globally the most stolen item in a grocery store. When you look at the number individually by each country, you'll see that in Europe, stolen cheese was significantly higher compared to other items. Their high number is what threw cheese to the top of the list. In North America, cheese is at number 4, after meat, candies and baby formula.

Although the high number globally makes sense.

In Wisconsin, cheese thieves have stolen over $160,000 worth of local cheese in two separate robberies. Both robberies happened within days of each other in the past week. $70,000 worth of a "processed cheese product" was stolen and eventually was recovered at grocery stores in the area. Sadly, the cheese had to be destroyed. The cheese had been sealed by food inspectors and was ready to be delivered across the country. Since the thieves stole the truck, the cheese is now inedible legally. $90,000 worth of parmesan was also stolen however that has not been found.

Also last fall, $43,000 worth of Comte cheese was stolen in France, and authorities believe the product would end up in restaurants around France. Right before the Comte cheese heist, thieves in Italy stole an astounding $875,000 worth of Parmagiano- Reggiano cheese. The thieves in the Italian heist were caught and charged with the massive robbery.

So why would these people, and others, want to steal cheese?

Cheese is called a "craved item," according to criminologist Ron Clarke. A craved item is something that is concealable, removable, available, valuable, enjoyable and disposable. Other craved items include liquor, electronics and razor blades. The difference between cheese and let's say a bottle of booze, is that cheese isn't given such high security as a bottle. If you attempt to steal a bottle of Jack, chances are there is a security tag on that bottle. No one thinks to put a security tag on a block of goat cheese. Although it is so delicious maybe they should start doing.

Not to mention how expensive cheese can be. According to Mother Nature Network, the Comte stolen in France would have gone for $43 a pound in the United States.