Police Arrest Man for Poisoning Food at Supermarkets

Associated Press/

Officers in London have arrested a man on suspicion of contaminating food in at least three supermarkets by injecting them with syringes.

According to the police, local authorities urged shoppers at the stores in the west London area of Hammersmith to throw away their purchases after the suspect was detained last night.

Authorities have not identified how many items were tampered with or if the syringes had anything inside.

Officers were first called out at 7:40 p.m. for reports of a man shouting abuse at people in the street.

London’s Metropolitan Police Service said the suspect allegedly used “a number of needles” to inject into processed meat and microwaveable products at small branches of Sainsbury’s, Tesco, and Waitrose on Fulham Palace Road.

He was arrested “on suspicion of contamination of goods with intention of causing public harm or anxiety,” the police department said.

The three stores remained closed today. The Hammersmith and Fulham Council said an investigation was ongoing.

“Members of the public are advised as a precaution to dispose of any food items bought from these supermarkets yesterday evening,” the council stated.