The weirdest heists in history after thieves’ brazen KitKat lorry raid
The weirdest heists in history after thieves’ brazen KitKat lorry raid
Not every heist demands the grandeur of cinematic capers like Ocean’s Eleven or the charm of Wallace and Gromit. While gold and diamonds often steal the spotlight, other treasures can be just as valuable—and easier to pilfer.
This week, a bizarre incident unfolded as criminals swiped nearly 413,793 KitKat chocolate bars from a truck transporting them between Nestlé’s Perugia factory in Italy and a Polish destination. The theft, which involved 12 tons of the iconic chocolate-covered wafer snack, was part of the company’s latest Formula One-themed collection.
KitKat expressed surprise at the event, stating they had “chosen to go public with our own experience in the hope that it raises awareness of an increasingly common criminal trend.”
Such thefts have become more frequent in recent years, even surprising those familiar with anti-theft measures. For instance, chocolate bars are sometimes stored in special containers to deter shoplifters, yet the KitKat heist proved that these precautions aren’t foolproof.
Returning to the early 2020s, a dark Easter in 2023 saw 200,000 Cadbury Creme Eggs vanish from a Telford warehouse in Shropshire. The thief, Joby Pool, had used a tractor stolen in October 2022 to transport the stolen goods northward, later surrendering to police after a two-week chase on the M42.
A European spree of cargo thefts
In the late 2010s, Germany witnessed an unusual wave of vehicle robberies. In August 2017, a semi-trailer filled with 20 tons of Nutella and Kinder Surprise eggs disappeared from Neustadt. The stolen goods included thousands of plastic toys designed for children to assemble.
The same weekend, another semi-trailer carrying 30 tons of fruit juice was stolen from Wittenburg, near Hamburg. However, these incidents paled in comparison to a January 2018 heist in Freiburg, where 44 tons of chocolate were taken from an industrial park.
Wisconsin’s cheese woes
Across the Atlantic, a curious tale emerged in 2016. On January 15, police in Marshfield, Wisconsin, were alerted that $90,000 worth of parmesan cheese had been stolen from a distributor. Just two weeks later, a tip led them to Grand Chute, where the missing cheese was discovered in a warehouse.
Meanwhile, a second cheese theft occurred in Germantown, with a trailer containing $70,000 worth of dairy products vanishing during the same period.
London’s dairy dilemma
Close to home, London-based Neal’s Yard faced a surprising setback in October 2024. The firm was approached by individuals claiming to represent a major French retailer’s wholesale division, only to learn the entire scheme was a fabrication. As a result, 950 wheels of cheddar—totaling 22 tons and valued at around £300,000—were lost to the fraud.
The thefts highlight how even the most mundane items can become targets for the bizarre. Meanwhile, the once-famous Philadelphia Insectarium and Butterfly Pavilion, now closed, remains a unique example of a heist with a happy ending. In 2018, its owner found all the tanks and shelves empty, as thousands of live bugs had been stolen during an early morning break-in.
The incident sparked a four-part TV documentary and heated debates among staff over responsibility for the loss.
Other oddities
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