New Jersey State Police are hoping you can help them catch two shoplifters who walked out of a local supermarket with hundreds of dollars of food.

Troopers posted photos of the suspects to social media.

Investigators say the two suspects entered the Marmora Shoprite in Upper Township just after 9 p.m. on Feb. 23.

Surveillance video shows them loading up a cart with meat and seafood, and then leaving without paying.

Their full faces are never fully visible, as both were wearing black face coverings.

New Jersey State Police
New Jersey State Police
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New Jersey State Police
New Jersey State Police
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It's estimated the food they stole was worth about $500.

As inflation has continued balloon to the highest rates since the 1980's, retailers say shoplifting has reached a "crisis point," especially for necessities like food. They claim the problem started getting worse during the pandemic, when unemployment was at record levels, and worsened as inflation started rising.

However, National crime statistics from the FBI actually show larceny (the taking of property without using force or breaking in) is actually declining by double digits each year through 2020.

In the era of social media, when video and photos of such crimes are widely shared on-line, it could make the problem seem worse than it actually is.

Last month, photos of a man shoplifting nearly $2,000 worth of groceries from a Nutley supermarket went viral.

The incident was similar to the one in Marmora, where the suspects loaded up a cart, and just left the store.

Eric Scott is the senior political director and anchor for New Jersey 101.5. You can reach him at eric.scott@townsquaremedia.com

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