THE latest in the pins in fruit crisis has spread to the Hastings with a local real estate agency posting a photo of a needle in a mandarin.
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Percival Property staff shared their dismay via social media when a staff member peeled open a mandarin to find a sewing needle inside.
Staff indicated that it was one of two new incidents on the Mid North Coast with another being investigated by police at Kempsey – both likely to be copycat pranks following on from the nationwide strawberry needling cases.
It is now believed the contamination has affected six brands of strawberries – “Berry Obsession”, “Berry Licious”, “Love Berry”, “Donnybrook Berries”, “Delightful Strawberries”, and “Oasis”.
These brands are believed to be sold in stores in NSW, Queensland, Victoria, and the Australian Capital Territory.
Needles have been found in more than 20 punnets of strawberries across NSW and potentially 100 pieces of fruit across the nation since the sabotage was first detected in Queensland.
One young boy has already been arrested over behaviour that "could be called a prank", police said, and he would be dealt with under the youth cautioning system.
Meanwhile reports emerged on Wednesday evening of another contaminated banana in Newcastle.
Police are urging anyone who has purchased contaminated product to take the punnet to their local police station immediately for triage and forensic examination.
