# Police probing Quebec maple syrup heist worth up to $30-million **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 31, 2012, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/police-probing-quebec-maple-syrup-heist-worth-up-to-30-million/633226 "2012-08-31T03:54:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/police-probing-quebec-maple-syrup-heist-worth-up-to-30-million/633226/1 "2012-08-31T03:54:36Z")
[http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/police-probing-quebec-maple-syrup-heist-worth-30-million/article4510740/](http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/police-probing-quebec-maple-syrup-heist-worth-30-million/article4510740/) > [@](#): > > Quebec police are on the hunt for a sticky-fingered thief after millions of dollars of maple syrup vanished from a Quebec warehouse. > > The theft was discovered during a routine inventory check last week at the St-Louis-de-Blandford warehouse, where the syrup is being held temporarily. The Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers, which is responsible for the global strategic maple syrup reserve, initially kept the news quiet, hoping it would help police solve the crime quickly. > > About 10 million pounds of syrup was stored at the site, at a value of more than $30-million. I am gonna just leave this one _right here_, except to say that I had no idea that we had a “global strategic maple syrup reserve,” but now that I do I can safely say it makes perfect sense and I’m glad we have one. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/police-probing-quebec-maple-syrup-heist-worth-up-to-30-million/633226/2 "2012-08-31T04:07:54Z")
Pretty sticky situation. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/police-probing-quebec-maple-syrup-heist-worth-up-to-30-million/633226/3 "2012-08-31T04:12:42Z")
Well, if we _told_ people about the Global Strategic Maple Syrup Reserve, we wouldn’t be able to influence global maple-syrup prices, would we? And decreased maple-syrup prices increase demand for maple syrup, which decreases demand for corn syrup, it’s prime competitor. It’s all wheels within wheels. But what do you expect from the country that puts the maple leaf on its flag? ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/police-probing-quebec-maple-syrup-heist-worth-up-to-30-million/633226/4 "2012-08-31T06:10:18Z")
> [@Sunspace](#): > > Well, if we _told_ people about the Global Strategic Maple Syrup Reserve, we wouldn’t be able to influence global maple-syrup prices, would we? Why am I remembering Dan Aykroyd and Eddie Murphy in _Trading Places_, and frozen concentrated orange juice as a commodity? Of course, we all know that the best maple syrup comes from Ontario. (Says the guy who used to work in an Ontario sugarbush.) I’ll duck and run now… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/police-probing-quebec-maple-syrup-heist-worth-up-to-30-million/633226/5 "2012-08-31T06:47:38Z")
I bet Putin’s having a nice stack of pancakes right about now. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/police-probing-quebec-maple-syrup-heist-worth-up-to-30-million/633226/6 "2012-08-31T06:59:55Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > I bet Putin’s having a nice stack of pancakes right about now. No, it sounds like an inside job: - this was not the normal, known storage place but a temporary one. - it’s difficult to track & trace sales, because all these Federated … Producers are constantly buying & selling in the marketplace. - they will suffer no monetary loss, since it was all insured. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/police-probing-quebec-maple-syrup-heist-worth-up-to-30-million/633226/7 "2012-08-31T12:07:52Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > Of course, we all know that the best maple syrup comes from Ontario. (Says the guy who used to work in an Ontario sugarbush.) Pfft, you’re both wrong. Everyone knows the best maple syrup comes from Vermont. _Quality_ over _quantity_ and all that. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/police-probing-quebec-maple-syrup-heist-worth-up-to-30-million/633226/8 "2012-08-31T12:15:51Z")
> [@](#): > > the global strategic maple syrup reserve This is hilarious. If supplies get tight, does the parliament convene an emergency session to discuss releasing X gallons from the strategic reserve? But I am worried about having all that maple syrup concentrated in one place. There could be a repetition of the [Great Boston Molasses Flood](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston_Molasses_Disaster), turning much of Quebec into a sticky mess. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/police-probing-quebec-maple-syrup-heist-worth-up-to-30-million/633226/9 "2012-08-31T12:20:33Z")
I’m picturing a couple of hosers like Bob and Doug McKenzie behind this. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/police-probing-quebec-maple-syrup-heist-worth-up-to-30-million/633226/10 "2012-08-31T12:28:02Z")
😃 I’m picturing some kind of bizarre black market, with dudes in dark glasses and trenchcoats selling baggies of maple syrup on street corners. _Pssst hey! Hey you. You wanna buy some maple syrup? It’s premium, top-grade shit. Give you a good price. Just talk to my man right over there, he’ll hook you up._ ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/police-probing-quebec-maple-syrup-heist-worth-up-to-30-million/633226/11 "2012-08-31T12:29:35Z")
Curse you, RickJay. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/police-probing-quebec-maple-syrup-heist-worth-up-to-30-million/633226/12 "2012-08-31T12:42:29Z")
Wait, there’s a “global strategic maple syrup reserve?” Seriously? ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/police-probing-quebec-maple-syrup-heist-worth-up-to-30-million/633226/13 "2012-08-31T12:55:01Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Wait, there’s a “global strategic maple syrup reserve?” Seriously? Yeah, they keep it in case the supply pancakes. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/police-probing-quebec-maple-syrup-heist-worth-up-to-30-million/633226/14 "2012-08-31T12:55:05Z")
How in the world does someone go about stealing “10 million pounds” of _anything_? ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/police-probing-quebec-maple-syrup-heist-worth-up-to-30-million/633226/15 "2012-08-31T12:56:22Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > This is hilarious. If supplies get tight, does the parliament convene an emergency session to discuss releasing X gallons from the strategic reserve? They mean to, but usually succumb to the tendency to waffle. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/police-probing-quebec-maple-syrup-heist-worth-up-to-30-million/633226/16 "2012-08-31T14:01:50Z")
Somebody has been reading John Ringo and taking him _way_ too seriously! ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/police-probing-quebec-maple-syrup-heist-worth-up-to-30-million/633226/17 "2012-08-31T14:10:28Z")
The Consumerist website also picked up on this story. One of the commentators there pointed out that maple syrup is harvested only during part of the year, so it would make sense that it’s warehoused for bottling and sale during the rest of the year. Much less crazy-sounding than a “global strategic reserve.” ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/police-probing-quebec-maple-syrup-heist-worth-up-to-30-million/633226/18 "2012-08-31T14:35:09Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > How in the world does someone go about stealing “10 million pounds” of _anything_? As I read it, there were 10 million pounds of maple syrup stored at the site. The theft is less than that, but still valued in the millions of dollars. ---
**Author:** ![rjk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@rjk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjk)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/police-probing-quebec-maple-syrup-heist-worth-up-to-30-million/633226/19 "2012-08-31T15:51:36Z")
> [@matt\_mcl](#): > > [http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/police-probing-quebec-maple-syrup-heist-worth-30-million/article4510740/](http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/police-probing-quebec-maple-syrup-heist-worth-30-million/article4510740/) > > I am gonna just leave this one _right here_, except to say that I had no idea that we had a “global strategic maple syrup reserve,” but now that I do I can safely say it makes perfect sense and I’m glad we have one. First you got de Beers, and then you got de Syrup. Canada is just as good as South Africa! ---
**Author:** ![detop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@detop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/detop)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/police-probing-quebec-maple-syrup-heist-worth-up-to-30-million/633226/20 "2012-08-31T17:05:17Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > How in the world does someone go about stealing “10 million pounds” of _anything_? Like anything else, one pound at a time. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/police-probing-quebec-maple-syrup-heist-worth-up-to-30-million/633226.md?page=2)