Bedbugs 'deliberately released' in Pennsylvania Walmart, according to police

The Pennsylvania State Police are investigating an incident that saw a release of bloodsucking bedbugs into a Walmart in Edinboro, Pennsylvania, last week.

What are the details?

Staff reportedly discovered a pill bottle full of bedbugs, which was hidden in the pocket of one of the retailer's boys coats.

The store phoned a local pest control company, which determined that the insects were bedbugs, and confirmed a second trove of bedbugs crawling around in one of the store's fitting rooms. Two days after the initial incident, a second pill bottle containing dead bedbugs was discovered in the men's clothing department.

Authorities believe that the bedbugs were deliberately released into the store, but insist that it was the only store affected at the time of this writing.

A spokesperson for Walmart told CNN that they are working with pest controllers to eradicate the issue.

"A third-party pest management service has visited the store and we are working with them to assess next steps," the Walmart spokesperson said in a statement. "In the meantime, we have blocked off the impacted area."

Walmart is 'cooperating' with investigation

The spokesperson added that Walmart is not taking the issue lightly.

"We take this seriously and are looking into this," the spokesperson added. "We are fully cooperating with law enforcement on their investigation."

Police have reportedly collected the pill bottles for fingerprint analysis and are looking through security surveillance to find suspects.