This story has the appearance of a wacky news story, but is just sad all around. Back in 2009, a grocery co-op in Calgary banned a woman from the premises for shoplifting. Authorities say that the following year, she began a campaign of malicious food adulteration, planting needles, pins, and nails in the store’s products. Now she’s suing the store for defamation.

We cannot emphasize enough: the woman was convicted in 2012 of four counts each of mischief and trespassing. She had adulterated food products and produce at the store, including deli cheese, breads, juices, other bakery items, and produce. She brought her children along with her while committing her crimes, even though she had received a verbal ban first from that particular store, then from all affiliated stores in the province.

In March, she was released from prison when she was two-thirds of the way through her sentence. Now she has filed a lawsuit for $8 million, or about 7.37 million U.S. dollars. Why? She claims that she “endured emotional distress and material loss” after being charged with adulterating store items. Her husband committed suicide in 2011, and the suit claims that this was because of the shame that the store’s “defamation” brought to the family.

When the Calgary Herald contacted the store for comment, they said that the case was long closed and they haven’t been served with this new lawsuit.

Woman convicted of putting needles in food is now suing Co-op for $8 million [Calgary Herald]
Pins in food brings 3-year term for Calgarian [CBC]

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