Copycat sees strawberry needle crisis widen

A ‘COPYCAT’ has emerged in the strawberry needle crisis, with staff at a Queensland Coles store reporting an incident today. It comes as police say they no longer believe a former farm employee is behind the initial sabotage.

A ‘COPYCAT’ has emerged in Queensland’s strawberry needle crisis, with staff at Coles Gatton reporting an incident today.

An employee who bought a punnet noticed a needle on top of the strawberries and reported it to police.

As a result, Queensland’s chief health officer Dr Jeannette Young has issued renewed advice to consumers.

The punnet from Coles Gatton found with a needle on top of the strawberries. Picture: Queensland Police Service

“Be ultra cautious and simply cut up those strawberries before eating them,” she said.

The incident is not linked to the insertion of needles into strawberries stemming from a supplier in Queensland’s southeast.

All Berry Licious and Berry Obsession strawberries — which are processed by the same supplier — have been removed from Woolworth shelves.

Detective Acting Chief Superintendent Terry Lawrence said at least 100 people — all workers of the supplier — are being interviewed, along with past employees.

He said police no longer agreed with the suggestion from the Strawberry Growers Association that an ex-employee is responsible.

Instead, police are looking at all avenues from growers to distributors.

The renewed warning comes after a Queensland mother told of how she almost fed her young son a strawberry with a needle inside it.

A needle found in a strawberry purchased by Gladstone woman Angela Stevenson. Picture: Supplied

Gladstone woman Angela Stevenson said she got two needles from one punnet of Berry Obsession strawberries.

The strawberries were bought from Woolworths on Kirkwood Rd, in Gladstone’s south.

Mrs Stevenson said her nine-year-old son Mason bit into one of the spiked strawberries at school on Tuesday, while she discovered the other needle while cutting up fruit for her one-year-old daughter.

“I had a look and it was the eye of a needle … I pulled it out and there was a needle right there embedded in the strawberry,” she told the Gladstone Observer.

“I then realised that I had sent Mason to school with strawberries for fruit break, so I rang the school as quick as I could and said tell him not to eat the strawberries.

“They rang me back not even five minutes later and said it was too late, he’d bitten into it and he had found a needle.”

Angela Stevenson was cutting up strawberries for daughter Koby-Rose when she discovered a needle. Picture: Matt Taylor

Ms Stevenson said she was thankful she didn’t hand her baby a whole strawberry, as she sometimes does.

“It’s horrible. It’s sick,” she said.

Angela Stevenson discovered this needle in her punnet of strawberries. Picture: Facebook

Mrs Stevenson and her husband Aaron reported the horrifying find to police immediately.

Queensland man Hoani Hearne ended in hospital after he swallowed part of a needle and developing severe abdominal pain on Sunday.

“I bit straight in — kneejerk reaction was to swallow — and yeah it wasn’t a pleasant surprise,” the 21-year-old told the Nine Network.

A disgruntled former employee is suspected of sabotaging strawberries with sewing needles in a move that has sparked health alerts in three states.

Detectives investigating the malicious tampering of strawberries arrived at the suppliers’ farm just before noon today.

The small acreage strawberry farm is located at Wamuran, west of Caboolture.

The detectives declined to comment as they drove onto the property.

Health authorities yesterday warned people who have bought strawberries in Queensland, NSW and Victoria to throw suspect punnets out after several incidents of needles being found in strawberries sold at Woolworths. It was not sure if the brands are sold at other outlets.

Queensland Health and police urged people who bought strawberries sold under the brands Berry Obsession and Berry Licious across the eastern seaboard in the past week to throw them out. A product recall is under way.

They said strawberries bought from today would be safe.

So far four contaminated punnets have been found — two in Queensland and two in Victoria.

Police suspect the ground-down needles were deliberately planted in the punnets, with the culprit intending to cause “grievous bodily harm or other objectives”.

Queensland’s strawberry growers were today urging shoppers to pick up a punnet, with industry body Growcom saying fruit on shop shelves is safe to eat and urging anyone worried about needles to chop their berries in half.

“Growcom is calling for some perspective on the situation — Queensland Health has advised that strawberries sold under any other brand other than the two in question, Berry Obsession and Berry Licious, and purchased after 13 September are safe to consume,” Growcom Rachel Mackenzie said.

“If consumers still have concerns, we recommend they chop fruit in half first before consumption.”

Ms Mackenzie said strawberries were fully traceable and the contamination was not equivalent to a food safety scare.

“At this stage, the contamination has been isolated to two Sunshine Coast strawberry brands,” she said.

“Queensland Police are working with retailers who supply the brands to have all contaminated stock removed from the supply chain.

“Intentionally contaminating or interfering with food is a crime under the Criminal Code Act 1899 and Growcom supports the Queensland Police in their investigation and prosecution of the individuals involved.”

Ms Mackenzie said the best thing consumers can do right now is continue to support our growers.

“Fruit currently available for purchase is safe and we urge consumers to continue supporting the strawberry industry.”

Arnott's Monte Carlo cream biscuits were the subject of an extortion bid in 1997.

SABOTAGE SCARES

1997 Arnott’s biscuits

Arnott’s was the subject of an extortion bid by a Queensland woman who threatened to poison Monte Carlo biscuits. A recall cost $22 million.

2000 Herron

Herron recalled paracetamol products after Brisbane man Denis Fountain allegedly laced tablets with strychnine and demanded $50,000 from the company. He later died in jail.

2006 Top Taste Bakery

Four million cakes were destroyed after a sewing needle and razor blade were found in Top Taste products. A bakery worker was charged.

2006 Sizzler soup

Sizzler closed salad bars across Australia after rat poison was found in soup at its Brisbane Myer Centre franchise and in pasta sauce at its Toowong franchise. A woman was charged.