Razor Found in Sandwich

Sitting in an Albertsons grocery store parking lot in Oxnard, Cory Mayfield and her two daughters were in a rush to eat their mini-submarine sandwiches from the supermarket’s deli.

After a long vacation, back-to-school shopping beckoned.

Cory’s portion seemed fine. So did 11-year-old Amanda’s. But 10-year-old Sarah got more than bread and lunch meat. Latched to her teeth from her first bite was a rusty razor blade.

Three days after the frightening discovery that left the little girl shaken but unhurt, Oxnard police on Tuesday continued their investigation into how the razor blade got into the sandwich.

Officials with the grocery store chain said they are conducting their own investigation, which included a close examination of a store security videotape. Store officials also pulled all deli items from shelves and inspected them for tampering.

Inspectors with the Ventura County Environmental Health Division pored over the area where the prepackaged sandwiches were made before ruling Tuesday that no evidence of health code violations was found.

For Cory Mayfield, a registered nurse who lives with her husband and two daughters in Simi Valley, the incident was a reminder of how one can never be too careful.

“It’s a sad sign of the times that people would do this,” Mayfield said. “You should be able to buy a sandwich from your neighborhood grocery store and not be put in danger.”

Oxnard Police Det. Rick Anderson said he has few leads in the case. He said it’s the first such case in the city that he can remember.

Anderson said he has interviewed employees and expects to receive a copy of the store videotape from the chain’s Fullerton headquarters.

“Customers should be checking to make sure the product that you’re purchasing is sealed from the place you buy it,” Anderson said.

Immediately after Sarah discovered the razor blade, Cory Mayfield returned to the supermarket to notify store officials. She also called police.

“They weren’t quite sure what to do because this wasn’t an everyday occurrence,” Mayfield said of Albertsons employees. “I was just trying to get their attention and get the sandwiches pulled from the shelves. I didn’t want this to happen to someone else.”

Officials with the grocery chain, which has 10 stores in Ventura County, said the store immediately removed all items from the deli case and conducted an inspection.

Spokeswoman Karen Ramos said security officials will spend the next few days reviewing store videotapes for clues.

Meanwhile, county officials said managers of the Oxnard store, in the 900 block of Ventura Road, have already implemented new security measures to protect against similar future incidents.