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A delivery vanished somewhere between Italy and Poland. Twelve tons of cargo were stolen. The motive remains unclear.
The victim? Nestlé. The target? More than 410,000 limited-edition, Formula 1 KitKat bars. It’s a crime that was made to be memed.
Every headline begs for attention, but this one deserves it. In a world of social media addicts and conspiracy theorists, be the KitKat heist expert. Crime doesn’t get any sweeter than this.
The truck with the chocolate left a factory in Turin March 26, headed for regional warehouses across Europe, according to Forbes. The thieves, disguised as police officers, intercepted the truck and made off with the candy. Although law enforcement has yet to find the truck or the KitKats, the driver was found unharmed.
News of the heist — perhaps the most daring since the robbery at the Louvre Museum last year — hit the internet just before April Fools’ Day. Other companies published faux press releases denying involvement in the heist while announcing new, KitKat-themed foods.
Domino’s Pizza shared its “condolences.”
“On a completely unrelated note, we’re pleased to announce we’ll now be selling a new Kit Kat [sic] pizza,” the statement said.
KitKat, meanwhile, rushed to assure its customers the heist was real and not an April Fools’ prank, announcing a “Stolen KitKat Tracker” so chocolate connoisseurs can see if they’re accidentally trafficking stolen goods.
Still, the heist raises questions. How are the thieves hiding 410,000-plus KitKats? What’s the going rate of chocolate on the black market? Is there a sketchy alleyway where F1 fans can buy under-the-table candy from seedy dealers in trenchcoats?
The F1 KitKats were set to be available only in Europe, with their release timed for the European races later this year. Unlike crown jewels, chocolate is pretty easy to resell, per Forbes. Thieves could distribute the pilfered chocolate across the continent and sell it at small shops, pop-ups, or online.
The heist’s timing might suggest inside knowledge of the shipment, which wasn’t publicly disclosed. Interest in F1 is on the rise nationally, thanks to Netflix’s show “Drive to Survive” and Apple TV’s “F1: The Movie.” The thieves — who might belong to an Italian organized crime ring, per Italian authorities — are probably looking to profit off of the sport’s popularity.
What kind of self-respecting criminal goes after chocolate bars? These guys, apparently, and they’re good at it.
There are plenty of situations to monitor, but following the KitKat heist should be at the top of the list. It’s bizarre and laughable, a daring plot drizzled with enough incredulity to feel like a fancy PR stunt.
Even if no one finds the chocolate, the publicity will more than make up for Nestlé’s loss — so sit back and have a break from the chaos by enjoying the KitKat heist.
Catherine Maxwell is a senior studying history.
