Sweet heist: 12 tons of KitKat chocolate bars stolen ahead of Easter in Europe

New Delhi: Just days before Easter holiday, a bizarre heist has left both chocolate lovers and industry in shock, after a  huge shipment which was carrying Nestle's crunchy KitKat chocolate bars, totaling more than 12 tons and over 400,000 individual bars, has been stolen in Europe.

When did the incident happen?

The strange theft, which has left everyone stunned, occurred on March 26 during transit in Europe.

The shipment, which was weighing around 12 tonnes and containing over 400,000 individual bars, disappeared last week while heading between production and distribution locations, the company said.

The truck had left central Italy and was making its way to Poland, planning to distribute the bars in countries along the way.

What did the company say?

The brand, Nestle, said that the heist risked causing shortages in supermarket shelves right before Easter holiday in Europe

KitKat, which is owned by Swiss food giant Nestle, in a statement confirmed on Saturday that "a truck transporting 413,793 units of its new chocolate range has been stolen during transit in Europe."

"The shipment, weighing around 12 tonnes, disappeared last week while heading between production and distribution locations," it said.

The KitKat spokesperson while referring to its catchphrase said, "We've always encouraged people to have a break with KitKat. But it seems thieves have taken the message too literally and made a break with more than 12 tonnes of our chocolate."

“Whilst we appreciate the criminals’ exceptional taste, the fact remains that cargo theft is an escalating issue for businesses of all sizes," KitKat said in a statement.

“With more sophisticated schemes being deployed on a regular basis, we have chosen to go public with our own experience in the hope that it raises awareness of an increasingly common criminal trend,” the statement added.

Will the theft affect market?

The Nestle warned that "the theft may lead to a shortage of KitKats appearing on shelf," and also said that "consumers, unfortunately, may struggle to find their favourite chocolates ahead of Easter."

KitKat did not say where specifically the goods had gone missing, but said "the vehicle and its contents remain unaccounted for".

The brand said that with holiday round the corner, the sale of chocolate will surge.

Can the chocolates be traced?

The brand said that the missing chocolate bars "could enter unofficial sales channels across European markets".

"Investigations are ongoing in close collaboration with local authorities and supply chain partners," it said.

KitKat also informed that it was possible to trace the stolen goods by scanning the unique batch codes found on each bar.

"If a match is found, the scanner will be given clear instructions on how to alert KitKat who will then share the evidence appropriately," it said.