. >> the man you're seeing in this it jo video is 53-year-old patrick costanzo. he was arrested and admitted to having stolen about $25,000 worth of tide in the last 15 months. reports say that after being asked why he was doing this, patrick said that it's because he's been up employed, the state won't help him and he needed to figure something out to get by. >> the prince georges county police department said when they sent an informant to try to buy drugs, the dealer said, i don't have drugs, but i have tide. >> imagine a guy with a trench coat opening it up. >> patrick was charged with felony theft and if found guilty, he faces ten years in prison. >>> richmond police are looking for a hit and run suspect. you see this guy that just came out of this shop? he's walking down the street, he has his hands open. he might be talking to the guy up ahead of him. he came out of that shot. he walks across the street. he's just outside of the crosswalk. he finds his way into the crosswalk. he's almost to the other side of the street but he dropped something, stopped to p

this video of a major heist, patrick costanzo pleaded guilty to stealing as much as 6000 dollars worth of detergent from wal-mart. >>> why tide? at between 8 and 20 dollars a bottle a full cart like this is worth hundreds. police say it can be easily resold on the black market for less than retail price and in some cases they are selling the stuff directly for drugs. >> drug dealers have realized i can take this 10 dollar rock and have you go out and steal something and get 10 bucks for it or i can tell you i want 5 bottles of tide instead and once they go in here and steal 5 bottles of tide then they can turn them around and give them to me, now i take them down to the dirty store and sell them for 6 bucks apiece so it has yelledded me 30 dollars. >> they are a nationwide problem including here where they have broken up at least one theft ring. this safeway was a favorite target of thieves who stole several thousand dollars worth of tide detergent in recent months, prince george's county police say they arrested 18 people in one ring to stealing ditear gent. most shoppers aren't even

patrick costanzo in st. paul, minnesota, pleaded guilty to stealing as much as $6,000 worth of detergent from wal mart. why tide, at between $8 and $20 a bottle, a full cart like this is worth hundreds. police say it can be easily resold on the black market for less than retail price. and in some cases, they're selling the stuff directly for drugs. >> drug dealers have finally realized, i can take this $10 rock and go outside and have you steal something for $10 for it. or i can tell you, i want five bottles instead. once they steal five bottles of tide, they can turn them around and give them to me. i take them down to the dirty store down the road and sell them to them for $6 apiece. now that yields me $30. >> prince george's county has broken up at least one theft ring. >> reporter: favorite target of thieves, who have stolen thousands of dollars worth of tide. police arrested 18 people in one ring for stealing detergent. most people aren't even awear. , wear. -- aware. >> reporter: now, they are placing

patrick costanzo pleaded guilty to stealing as much as $6,000 worth of detergent from wal- mart.hy tide? at between $8 and $20 a bottle, a full cart like this is worth hundreds. police say it can be easily resold on the black market for less than retail price. and in some cases, they're selling the stuff directly for drugs. >> drug dealers can finally realize, i can take this $10 rock and have you try to steal something and get 10 bucks for it, get my $10 from you. or i can tell you, i want five bottles of tide instead. once they steal these five bottles of tide, they can turn around and if i them to me. i take them to the dirty store down the road. and they give me $6. >> reporter: tide thefts are a problem nationwide, including here in maryland, where police in prince george's county, have broken up at least one theft ring. >> reporter: this safeway in buoy was a favorite target of thieves who stole several thousands worthwhile of tide detergent in recent months. prince george says they arrested 18 people in one ring. >> you're engaged in your activities. if you're with your ch

patrick costanzo in st. paul, minnesota, pleaded guilty to stealing as much as $6,000 worth of detergent from wal- mart. why tide? at between $8 and $20 a bottle, a full cart like this is worth hundreds. police say it can be easily resold on the black market for less than retail price. and in some cases, they're selling the stuff directly for drugs. >> drug dealers have finally realized, i can take this $10 and have you go out and try to steal something and get $10 for it. get my $10 from you. or i can tell you, i want five bottles of tide instead. once they go in here and steal the five bottles of tide, they can come here and give them to me. i take them down and give them $6 apiece. that is yielding me $30. >> tide thefts are a nationwide problem. including here in maryland. prince george's county have broken up at least one theft ring. >> reporter: this safeway in buoy was a favorite target of thieves, who stole several thousand dollars worth of tide in one month. most shoppers aren't even aware. >> if yo

patrick costanzo pleaded guilty to charges that he stole $6,000 worth of detergent and other items over-mart. this safeway was a favorite target. one theft ring stole several thousand dollars worth of tide detergent in recent months. why tide? at between 10 and $20 a bottle a cart is worth hundreds and can be resold for reless retail price. >> in some cases they are trading it for drugs? >> yes. drug dealers have realizes i can take this $10 rock and have you steal something worth ten bucks or i want five bottles of tide instead. once they steal those, then they can turn around and give them to me and i sell them for $6 a piece. now i have $30. >> reporter: police have arrested 18 people in one ring for stealing detergent. >> it's very easy to not know what's going on. >> why is it so easy to not see it? >> you are engaged in your activities. if you are with your children you are managing your kids. >> reporter: the thieves acted like nascar pit crews, staging unascended carts in the aisles and move through quickly, grab the tide and pile it up and throw their jackets over it and be out