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Stink bombs cost holiday cash Medford Target store wasn't able to reopen for nearly five hours after Saturday prank By DAMIAN MANN Mail Tribune Three stink bombs left at the Medford Target Store Saturday afternoon created more than just the smell of rotten eggs. Assistant Target manager Peggy Wike said it cost the Crater Lake Highway store $70,000-$100,000 in lost revenue during the almost five hours needed to clear the air. "I don't think we can ever recover fully," said assistant store manager Peggy Wike. "Some of our guests are afraid to come back in." After the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11 and the anthrax fears, the estimated 700 people in the store found the incident particularly rotten, said Wike. There were 600 shoppers and 100 employees inside. "Three months ago you might not be scared," said Wike. "But after what's happened since, you take these things very seriously." While no merchandise was damaged, Wike said Saturday was one of the busiest days of the year and the stink bombs went off during the busiest hours of the day. The stink bombs turned out to be a yellowish-colored ammonium sulfide liquid that caused some temporary respiratory problems for some shoppers. A hazardous waste team cleaned up the three spills found in different parts of the store. Wike said the Medford Fire Department purified the air while shoppers waited outside the store. "We appreciate all of the support we got from the city," she said. Target gave inconvenienced shoppers - many of whom waited hours for the store to reopen - coupons and saved their partially filled shopping carts for their return. Medford police will be reviewing surveillance tapes and following up on other leads that they hope could lead to an arrest. Lt. Mike Moran said the suspect or suspects could not only face criminal charges, but could also be liable for civil damages caused by the prank. The police will be investigating the possibility the stink bombs could have been a diversion for shoplifting, or perhaps a disgruntled ex-employee, said Moran. The suspect or suspects could be arrested for criminal mischief, assault, and disorderly conduct - all misdemeanors. "Anybody that would do that in these times, we would actively want to pursue them," he said. "There's never a good time to do something dumb like that." Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.