The American Bakers Association participated in a meeting with the federal prosecutor’s office in Baltimore to combat the dramatic increase in bakery tray theft.


The American Bakers Association participated in a meeting with the federal prosecutor’s office in Baltimore to combat the dramatic increase in bakery tray theft.

According to some estimations, ABA notes, the value of the stolen baskets and trays has totaled more than $10 million since January. Organized crime rings are suspected as playing a role, according to the association.

The meeting with federal prosecutors was prompted by several companies, which are instituting new policies that include prosecution of bakery tray theft. After considerable investment and time, ABA member companies suspect that many trays are being stolen and taken to re-grinders where they are being scrapped and re-made into plastic containers and other commercial items.

Because of similar scrap metal thefts a few years ago, the state of Maryland passed a returnable container registration law. Businesses should register descriptions of their containers with the Maryland Secretary of State’s office, receive a sealed certificate from that office, publish an article in a local paper for at least two days that your company’s returnable plastic container has been registered and ownership can be proven.

If you have questions regarding the process to register plastic containers under the Maryland Plastic Container Registration law, or ABA’s efforts regarding bakery tray theft in general, contact Brian Callahan, ABA federal government relations manager at 1-202-89-0300, or by email bcallahan@americanbakers.org