20 More Metal-Tainted Lollipops Found In Lakeland

LAKELAND, Feb 14, 2008 (Tampa Tribune - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- DG | news | PowerRating | PR Charts -- Authorities say they have found 20 more lollipops that appear to have pieces of metal in them.

The Polk County Sheriff's Office seized the Pokemon brand lollipops from Kathleen Elementary School this afternoon, according to a news release. The candy was purchased at a Dollar General Store in Polk County.

Eight bags of the suspect candy were X-rayed at the Polk County Medical Examiner's Office this morning. Investigators found no foreign objects or evidence of tampering, said Polk County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Carrie Rodgers.

The candy was X-rayed because a Mulberry woman found metal embedded in a lollipop purchased at a Dollar General Store at 6735 S. Florida Ave., according to the sheriff's office.

Sheriff Grady Judd says parents who have purchased the Pokemon lollipops should not allow their children to eat them. He also says parents should scrutinize all candy purchased for Valentine's Day.

Lisa Potter bought a bag of 10 Pokemon Valentine Cards and Pops on Feb. 7. While her son was sorting through them Wednesday night in preparation for taking them to school, he noticed a piece of metal resembling a blade protruding from the corner of the pop. Potter took the candy to the Mulberry Police Department, which called the sheriff's office.

The manager at Dollar General Store pulled the eight remaining bags of that brand of candy off the shelf.

Judd said his detectives worked through the night both to warn schools and to determine whether the blade is part of a pattern of criminal behavior.

There is no indication of foul play and no report of other tainted candy, he said. Judd said the blade seemed to be melted into the candy, as if it had fallen into a mixture at the manufacturing plant. The lollipop remained sealed within a plastic wrapper.

"At best," Judd said, emphasizing several times that the candy had been manufactured in China, "we're dealing with poor quality control."

Reporter Billy Townsend can be reached at btownsend@tampatrib.com.

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