P'nP: Return 'suspect' goods
2003-07-07 16:24
Johannesburg - Pick 'n Pay chief executive Sean Summers has appealed to customers to return products, suspected to have been poisoned by the person trying to hold the supermarket chain to ransom.
Summers said cutomers should bring back products even if they are merely unsure about whether it was affected by the poisoner.
To date, "a fair amount" of products had been returned, though Summers said he could not say how much these were worth because "at the moment that is not our primary focus".
In addition to the R5m reward offered for information, Pick 'n Pay has called in the aid of an expert on this type of crime from an agency in the United Kingdom.
The agency "deals on an international basis with crimes of this nature".
>Meanwhile, police appointed a national detective task team to investigate the poisoning of certain products on suspermarket shelves.
The R5m reward was announced on Saturday after confirmation that traces of cyanide had been found in two more products: Fritos barbecue-flavoured chips bought in Johannesburg, and No Name Brand sardines bought in Durban.
Families have been supportive
Summers has appealed to anyone with information to make contact and help the police put a stop to the poisonings.
"We are in close contact with the three families (affected by the poisoned food), who have been incredibly supportive.
Police and Pick 'n Pay repeated their suggestion on Monday that the person who had threatened the supermarket chain with poisoning their food products should come forward.
Senior superintendent Selby Bokaba, a spokesperson for the national police commissioner, said: "We urge the person or persons to come forward. It is never too late to come forward.
"We will try to ensure that whatever problem or concern they have is resolved amicably."
After the firm offered the reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction of the extortionist, there had been an encouraging response, said police and the supermarket group on Sunday.
Calls to a Pick 'n Pay hotline had been coming in steadily since Saturday night, and "every single lead" was being followed up.
Summers said: "We would like to thank everybody who has phoned, written, e-mailed or approached us with support and encouragement. It really is deeply appreciated."
Two victims back in good health
Tests results available on Saturday showed that the poisoned food products - chips and sardines - had contained "very low" dosages of cyanide.
A woman who ate the sardines last month, and has asked that she not be named, had shown signs of food poisoning, but was in good health.
A nine-year-old girl who ate Fritos chips bought on Thursday became ill, and after her mother reported this to Pick 'n Pay, the remainder of the packets on the strip were sent for testing.
The poisoner had written a warning on the packet in blue koki pen, but the writing had "unfortunately, by and large, been rubbed off".
The child was medically examined, but was also in good health.
Pick 'n Pay has withdrawn all Simba Fritos Barbecue 4-pack strips, all No Name Brand Sardines (120g), all Lucky Star oilchards in chilli (155g) and all Pick 'n Pay choice garlic flakes bottle (100ml), nationally as an extra precaution.
Members of the public who want to give information about the extortionist can telephone the Pick 'n Pay Hotline on 011 455 3843 or CrimeStop on 0860 010 111.
Concerned shoppers who have a query about goods bought from the supermarket group, can call Pick 'n Pay's customer care line 24 hours a day, and seven days a week on 0800 112 288.
- SAPA