Just in time for Easter.
A 12-ton shipment of Nestle’s crunchy KitKat bars was stolen in one big heist. The act has the potential to cause a shortage in European stores, right before the Easter holiday.
The swipe of the 413,793 candy bars happened last week after a stolen truck left its production site in central Italy for distribution in Poland.
Nestle, based in Vevey, Switzerland, said in a statement Friday, according to NBC News, that “the vehicle and its load are still nowhere to be found.”
“We’ve always encouraged people to have a break with KitKat,” a spokesperson told AFP, a nod to its popular catchphrase. “But it seems thieves have taken the message too literally and made a break with more than 12 tons of our chocolate.”
The chocolate bars, which are made of waffles covered with chocolate, were to be distributed throughout Europe.
While Nestle is the primary owner of KitKat, in the U.S. the Hershey Co. has held a license to produce and market the candy since 1970.
“Investigations are ongoing in close collaboration with local authorities and supply chain partners,” Nestle said.
The company also warned that the missing candies could lead to a shortage of KitKats on ahead of Easter, which is April 5.
The missing bars also could “enter unofficial sales channels across European markets.”
However, the company noted that the stolen bars can potentially be traced by scanning the unique batch codes assigned to 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.
KitKat is working with local law enforcement to investigate the heist, according to CBS News.
“Whilst we appreciate the criminals’ exceptional taste, the fact remains that cargo theft is an escalating issue for businesses of all sizes,” the company shared in the 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,” it added.
