People love steak. We love steak so much that people who want to eat steak but can’t afford it will steal, it, and do so by stuffing it down their pants. Why pants? Why steak? We can answer the second half of that question, at least.

People are stealing all of the beef they can fit down their pants lately, but why? The problem, explains CBS New York, (warning: auto-play video at that link) is that a drought in the midwest means cattle feed is more expensive, which in turn raises beef prices. Higher beef prices mean that the meat is less affordable and more steal-able.

There’s also more demand for beef: one owner of a meat shop pointed out that the popularity of low-carb diets means that people buy more meat, and greater demand drives prices even higher.

Over the weekend, there was yet another meat-down-pants incident, this time in Indiana. Employees at a Marsh grocery store called police on a shopper. Police found $80 worth of steak down his pants, and arrested him for theft. His ability to at least believe that he could conceal $80 worth of meat down his pants shows how high beef prices have risen.

Police: Man tries to hide steak theft by stuffing $80 in meat down pants [WTTV]
Sirloin Swipers: High Beef Costs Lead To More Meat Thefts, Experts Say [CBS New York] (Warning: auto-play video)

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.