Man steals $1,700 in caviar from Whole Foods in Irvine, police say

Police are asking for the public’s help identifying a man accused of stealing about $1,700 worth of caviar from a Whole Foods store in Irvine over the holiday season.

The theft occurred around 6:30 p.m. on Dec. 29 at the Whole Foods Market on Irvine Center Drive, Irvine Police Department spokesman Kyle Oldoerp said.

At first, the caviar culprit appeared to be shopping normally, selecting items and placing them in a basket, police said. He then concealed 12 cans of caviar inside a paper Whole Foods bag he had brought with him, they said, abandoned the shopping basket and exited the store without paying.

The stolen items included caviar priced at approximately $170, $160 and $99 per container. Brands taken were Fishwife — including its Caviar Duet and Golden White Reserve — and Tsar Nicoulai, Oldoerp said.

An employee who had recently stocked the shelf noticed the caviar was missing shortly afterward, prompting a review of store surveillance footage that captured the theft, Oldoerp said.

“This is not Jason Statham filming an action scene in a grocery store,” police joked in a social media post.

Anyone who recognizes the man is asked to contact Irvine Police Detective Drake at jdrake@cityofirvine.org.