Arizona On the Run Reopens after Food Contamination Scare

MESA, Ariz. -- A Mobil On the Run convenience store here reopened Wednesday night after a suspected food contamination that occurred between 8 and 9 p.m. Tuesday closed the location.

ExxonMobil issued a statement about the possible contamination, but remained silent on the cause. ExxonMobil spokeswoman Paula Chen directed CSNews Online to the local police department; a call there was not returned by press time.

However published reports state that a syringe was found in a box of candy bars at the location. A Mesa police detective told the Arizona Republic that a store clerk told investigators four or five teenage boys entered the store and brought a box of candy bars to the counter with a syringe inside. Police were not sure how long the syringe was with the food, or whether the candy had been injected with some sort of substance, the report stated.

The type of candy that was involved was not named, but the store stated there were no sales of that brand within the past 24 hours.

A report by The Associated Press stated that a man with a syringe was seen injecting food items with an unknown substance. Because the target appeared to be candy bars, all were removed from the shelves.

"We're erring on the side of caution," police spokeswoman Holly Hosac told the AP.

After the Department of Health services tested the syringe, a local television report by KTVK reported that Methamphetamine was found in it, according to Michael Murphy from the Department of Health.

Murphy added the department is not considering this a health hazard because there is no evidence of an injection into the candy.

X
This ad will auto-close in 10 seconds