Missing Newspaper Inserts Being Blamed on Extreme Couponers

In Boise, Idaho, some local extreme couponers may have possibly crossed the line and become newspaper thieves.

Coupon inserts from newspapers the Idaho-Press Tribune (Nampa) and the Idaho Statesman (Boise) are reported to have been going missing. For instance, a representative from the Idaho Statesman reported that one Sunday in May all the coupon inserts from a particular news rack were missing, with the newspapers not being purchased. The coupon inserts for that day were valued to be from three hundred to a thousand dollars.

Statesman’s Director for Circulation, Frank Peak, stated that these missing inserts are becoming a real concern because the value of the coupons are not insignificant amounts and there is a growing popularity and interest in couponing during the past few months.

The newspaper has already filed a report with the police regarding this incident, especially after Don Waters, the newspaper’s sales manager, managed to observe a woman take out all the advertisements from a newspaper stand. The woman only purchased one newspaper, however.

Director Peak puts the blame on the current economic situation of the country, as well as the increasing interest in couponing. Adding to this public interest in couponing is the reality television show “Extreme Couponing.” In the program, viewers are drawn to watching extreme couponers walk out of grocery stores spending less than ten dollars for grocery items worth ten times than the amount they actually paid because of their coupons.

Idaho Press Tribune has taken its first action against this incident by posting signs on newspaper boxes, saying that taking out copies without paying for them is considered theft. After implementing the signs, the newspaper publisher has observed a significant drop in the newspaper thefts.