Criminals have made off with a lorry containing almost 500,000 KitKat bars in what has become one of Europe's most audacious chocolate thefts.
The haul, comprising precisely 413,793 bars of the confectioner's newest range, weighed approximately 12 tonnes.
Nestle, the Swiss parent company of the beloved chocolate wafer brand, confirmed the vehicle vanished whilst travelling from central Italy towards Poland.
The shipment was intended for distribution across multiple European nations along the 1,250 to 1,350 kilometre route.
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With Easter fast approaching, the confectionery giant has warned that shoppers may find their preferred treats in short supply on supermarket shelves.
A spokesman for the brand offered a wry observation on the theft, quipping: "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."
Despite the lighthearted response, the situation remains serious.
Both the lorry and its valuable cargo have yet to be located.
Criminals have made off with a lorry containing more than 400,000 KitKat bars in what has become one of Europe's most audacious chocolate thefts
|GETTY
Nestle confirmed that investigations are proceeding alongside local police forces and logistics partners.
The company has declined to specify precisely where along the route the vehicle disappeared, stating only that it departed central Italy last week before vanishing.
The company has raised concerns that the chocolate bars may find their way into black market distribution networks throughout Europe.
However, Nestle has a means of tracking the stolen goods.
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A KitKat spokesman 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'
|GETTY
Each wrapper bears a unique batch code that enables identification of products from the missing shipment.
Retailers, wholesalers and members of the public can verify whether any KitKat they encounter belongs to the stolen consignment by scanning these codes.
"If a match is found, the scanner will be given clear instructions on how to alert KitKat who will then share the evidence appropriately," the company stated.
This traceability system means criminals must rely on illicit sales channels to offload their haul.
The theft follows a recent joint report from the International Union of Marine Insurance and the Transported Asset Protection Association EMEA, which highlighted a worrying surge in cargo crime and freight fraud across the continent.
Increasingly sophisticated criminal methods have become commonplace in the logistics sector.
This marks the second occasion in recent years that KitKat has fallen victim to organised cargo theft.
Three years ago, approximately $250,000 worth of rare Japanese KitKat flavours, including melon and matcha latte varieties, were held to ransom in California.
Nestle has urged the public not to attempt locating or recovering any stolen products themselves, advising instead that relevant information be passed to law enforcement.
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