“The people who are doing it, I guess they wouldn’t consider themselves a criminal. They are just trying to save money.”-Matt Davidson, publisher

The Idaho Statesman reporting a trend making an appearance in Idaho; people stealing newspaper coupons from newspaper vending machines.

“It is becoming a real problem on Sundays because of the value of the coupons and the local interest in couponing over the last few months.”-Frank Peak, newspaper circulation director

In the Boise area, newspaper staff, who stock the vending machines, noticed that many of the Sunday papers were still in the machines but missing the coupons.  They eventually caught one woman, who tried to use the excuse that no one uses them anyway.

Frank Peak says there are several reasons people are stealing coupons, one being the new ‘reality’ TV show “Extreme Couponing”.  Other reasons are the price of gas and the bad economy.