Running Club Responsible For Dropping White Powder

White Powder Drop Marks Trail For Participants Of 'Strategic Sport'
NBC
Aug. 25, 2007

NEW HAVEN, Conn. -- New Haven police have charged two people they believe are responsible for spreading a white powder around the parking lot of the IKEA store and Bank of America in the city's Long Wharf area.

The suspects, 35-year-old Daniel Salchow of New Haven and his sister, 31-year-old Dorothee Salchow of Hamburg, Germany, were arrested and charged with breach of peace in the first degree, a class D felony.

Earlier Thursday, the New Haven Fire Department, New Haven Police Department, State Police, FBI, New Haven Health Department and others responded to a call about a white powder in the parking lot of IKEA. The substance turned out to be flour.

The Salchows said they are part of a running club that participates in a strategic sport called “Hash House Harriers.”

The group said was tradition for members to drop the flour to mark their route. The group also said it stopped dropping the flour post the incidents of Sept. 11, 2001.

The IKEA store is expected to re-open once the fire department completes decontamination of the affected areas, which is precautionary, according to Jessica A. Mayorga, director of communications for the city of New Haven.