A group of thieves wanted more than just a piece of that KitKat bar after they stole a truck containing 12 tons of the popular candy bars in Europe.
Nestlé, the company that manufactures KitKat bars, confirmed on Friday that thieves stole a truck carrying about 413,793 bars that had left a production site in central Italy bound for Poland, where neither the vehicle nor its load has been recovered, according to ABC News.
🚨#BREAKING: Law enforcement agencies say that thieves stole more than 12 tons of KitKat bars while a shipment was en route across Europe
— R A W S A L E R T S (@rawsalerts) March 28, 2026
The company Nestle says the chocolate heist could cause shortages ahead of the upcoming Easter holiday pic.twitter.com/RmEefUkjJu
The company did not reveal the location where the truck went missing, which means investigators will have to look into a trail that spans over a thousand kilometers across the European continent.
"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,” Nestlé said in a statement.
I dove deep into this hilarious 12-tonne KitKat heist story from Europe that’s going viral - here are the key verified facts in concise points:
— Foskaay Animations (@SolomonFoskaay) March 29, 2026
The Theft:
A truck carrying 413,793 units of Nestlé’s new KitKat chocolate range was stolen last week while in transit across Europe.… pic.twitter.com/Mc3mJqEh1U
Nestlé warned that the pilfered candy could show up in unofficial sales channels across Europe, but noted that they could be traced using 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.”
🇪🇺 Someone stole 12 tons of KitKat bars in Europe and nobody knows where the truck is.
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) March 28, 2026
413,793 chocolate bars. Vanished. Between Italy and Poland.
KitKat said they "appreciate the criminals' exceptional taste."
12 tons of KitKat stolen. He is going to be pooping chocolate… pic.twitter.com/5HGVM5uQtJ
This comes amid an escalating pattern of cargo crime on the continent. A joint report from the International Union of Marine Insurance and the Transported Asset Protection Association EMEA detailed a sharp rise in cargo theft and freight fraud, according to ITV News.
"Whilst we appreciate the criminals' exceptional taste, the fact remains that cargo theft is an escalating issue for businesses of all sizes,” Nestlé said in its 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."