Truckload of 413,793 KitKat Bars Stolen Between Italy and Poland

The company also asked that consumers not attempt to locate, handle, or recover any stolen goods, nor take any direct action.

Kelly McBride Ni

Published: 3/30/2026, 2:27:13 PM EDT

Truckload of 413,793 KitKat Bars Stolen Between Italy and Poland — A pack of KitKat bar is displayed in the showroom of food giant's Nestle in Vevey, Switzerland, on Oct. 20, 2016. (Fabrice Coffrini /AFP via Getty Images)

Swiss food company, Nestlé, says about 12 tons—roughly 413,793 bars—of KitKat chocolate were stolen while being transported from central Italy to Poland.

On March 29, KitKat issued a statement on its social media, and said, “We can confirm that 12T of KitKat products were stolen while in transit between our factory in Central Italy and their destination in Poland.” The company added that it is “working closely with local authorities and supply chain partners to investigate.”

Nestlé, which owns KitKat, said the theft occurred in transit in Europe and that both the truck and its cargo remain missing. The truck was carrying the company’s new chocolate range. In a photo provided by Nestlé, the KitKat is shaped like a race car.

The company said that there is no risk associated with the product itself, and partners have been alerted. However, emphasized that “KITKAT believes the missing items could enter unofficial sales channels across European markets.”

"The theft comes shortly after a joint report from the International Union of Marine Insurance (IUMI) and the Transported Asset Protection Association (TAPA) EMEA, which outlined an alarming rise in cargo theft and freight fraud - with more sophisticated methods of deception becoming increasingly common," Nestlé stated.

"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,” KitKat added in a statement.

“Whilst we appreciate the criminals' exceptional taste, the fact remains that cargo theft is an escalating issue for businesses of all sizes. 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 company also asked that consumers not attempt to locate, handle, or recover any stolen goods, nor take any direct action. “Any relevant information should be shared with local law enforcement authorities,” the company said, adding that “KITKAT will continue to support the investigation and provide further updates as appropriate.”

According to TAPA, their intelligence system found that “nearly 160,000 cargo-related crimes were recorded across 129 countries between 2022 and 2024, with total losses estimated at several billions of Euros.”

“While traditional threats such as hijackings and theft remain a problem, both organisations warn that cargo crime is rapidly becoming more sophisticated and digitally enabled,” TAPA said.

TAPA further stated that cargo theft and freight fraud are rising across global supply chains, with “incidents escalating across Europe, the Americas and Africa. Latin America and several African nations are experiencing particularly severe and violent attacks."