Consumers are being warned to be suspicious of meat carrying a specific Ontario approval stamp after a meat inspector’s stamp was stolen from an Innisfil processing plant.
The stolen stamp is labelled Ontario Approved PLT 156 and was taken from L&M Meat Distributors on the 14 Concession sometime between 8:30 p.m. April 9 and 6 a.m. April 10.
“It could be used to stamp illegal meat that hasn’t been properly inspected,” Teodoro Lauri of L&M said Friday. “If it’s used, it would likely come from private farms that haven’t had the animals or meat inspected.”
Lauri said his business has since changed the stamp number for meats processed at L&M to make sure there is no confusion.
“Everything is under control that way,” he said.
Lauri said he is not sure if the meat inspectors stamp was “targeted” by thieves or if they simply took it because it was in a lock box.
“It’s very unusual, very rare,” he said. “I’ve never heard of it before. They may have been after the stamp or they may have simply taken everything that was locked up figuring it was valuable.”
Thieves also stole a small white safe containing boxes of explosive stun gun ammunition used to knock out livestock. Lauri said meat processors must be approved to purchase that type of stun gun ammunition.
Under Ontario’s Meat Inspection Act, meat inspectors work on the premises of processing plants, inspecting both animals and meat.
Lauri said consumers should always buy their meat from legitimate mainstream stores or sanctioned process plants such as L&M Distributors.
Consumers should avoid door-to-door sales or direct sales from farms, he said.
Today's Weather 
Unknown and 15°C
Unknown and 15°C
