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Coquitlam Mounties are seeking the public's help in a shoplifting incident that's on the rise in the Lower Mainland.

On June 30, a man and a woman (see above) allegedly took six to eight tins of baby formula from a grocery store in the 1300 block of Lougheed Highway.

"Theft of baby formula may seem strange but it is very common," the RCMP said in a news release issued this morning. "Police investigators often see baby formula used as a street currency that is exchanged for drugs. Past thefts of baby formula have also been linked to organized crime rings that export formula to foreign countries where the local supply is unreliable."

According to the Mounties, the two suspects allegedly drove away in a car that had been reported as stolen.

The male is 5'6" with short dark hair and is believed to be in his late 20s; the woman is 5'1" with long brown or red hair and is believed to be in her 30s.