German police probe threat to poison baby food products

By Ayhan Simsek

BERLIN (AA) - Police have launched a probe after one or more suspects threatened to poison baby food products sold at a supermarket in southern Friedrichshafen city as part of an extortion attempt.

Deputy police chief Uwe Sturmer told a news conference on Thursday they found five jars of baby food that included a poisonous substance at a supermarket in Friedrichshafen, after several supermarket chains received letters that demanded more than 10 millions euros ($11.78 million).

"From our perspective, there is no reason to have panic or hysteria,” Sturmer said, but he also urged citizens to take caution when buying baby food from supermarkets, and check whether the original package had been manipulated.

The suspects or the suspect threatened to add poisonous substance to food sold in big German supermarket chains in the country and abroad, unless the demand was met.

Police released a photo of a man, who was suspected of putting jars that included a poisonous substance to the shelves of a supermarket in Friedrichshafen, and appealed to the public to help law enforcements officials find him.