Northeast Minneapolis grocery store hit by rooftop theft, shelves bare

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – A popular grocery store in northeast Minneapolis is dealing with empty shelves after a theft disrupted its refrigeration system.

Shelves empty after Eastside Food Co-op theft

What we know:

Critical piping from the roof of the Eastside Food Co-op was stolen, leading to the loss of all frozen food, meats and dairy. 

The incident happened around 4:30 a.m. on Wednesday, and workers discovered the theft when they arrived at 5 a.m.

Marketing Manager Tucker Gerrick explained that the thief, or thieves, gained access by using a ladder to reach the roof. 

They left behind bolt cutters, a ladder, a bicycle and a condenser unit.

Impact on the store and customers 

What they’re saying:

“Any sort of cut or washed vegetable that needs to be refrigerated is gone. All the dairy, all of our meats, all of the frozen foods, and cheeses,” said Gerrick.

The co-op serves about 1,000 people daily and is losing hundreds of thousands of dollars due to the disruption. 

The to-go deli section is closed, and the online grocery system is down. 

What’s next:

The co-op plans to maintain regular store hours and hopes to have everything back up and running by the weekend. 

Customers can still purchase non-frozen food items.

What we don’t know:

Police are investigating the incident, but have not announced any arrests.