Thieves Steal 50,000 Litres of ‘Liquid Gold’
In August 2023, thieves drained about 50,000 litres of extra virgin — some €500,000 worth — from a Córdoba mill, as record prices turned olive oil into a target for organised theft.
What happened
In the early hours of 30 August 2023, thieves stole roughly 50,000 litres of extra virgin olive oil, worth about €500,000, from a mill in Carcabuey, Córdoba province. A local producer group reckoned the heist took around two hours — a vivid sign of what “liquid gold” prices were doing.
When a staple becomes a luxury, it attracts the crime that follows any gold. Tanker thefts, mill break-ins, oil cut and relabelled — the dark side of the price spike is a direct function of the price. The grim corollary for shoppers: a suspiciously cheap “extra virgin” in a year like this deserves real suspicion.
Source, Aug 2023: Gulf News.