F1 KitKat heist confirmed as thieves steal 413,793 bars in 12-tonne chocolate crime

The start of the British Grand Prix, with a KitKat bar pasted on top — Photo: © IMAGO

F1 News & Gossip

Have a break-in, have an F1 KitKat: Thieves steal 413,793 bars in 12-tonne chocolate crime

Someone's nan's going to have a really well-stocked cupboard

Chris Deeley

Sunday 29 March 2026 22:45

We all agree that chocolate's too expensive these days, but lifting 12 tonnes of KitKats is a pretty drastic way of redressing that balance.

Nestle have confirmed that the truck of confectionary was on the run from central Italy to Poland this week when it has hit by thieves, who also took the truck itself – presumably on the basis that no amount of canvas bags with dollar signs and 'SWAG' printed on them are big enough to carry off 12 tonnes of chocolate and wafer.

All very well, but why is this story in any way in the purview of an F1 site? Surely the fact that KitKat is the 'Official Chocolate Bar of F1' isn't enough?

Article continues under video

No, it isn't. Sound news judgement. What does make it our sort of thing is that all 413,793 units of product...were KitKat F1 cars (the number of 'cars' loaded up on the truck being a multiple of 3, not 2, maybe a nod to the good old days when teams travelled with two race cars and a backup).

That, to our knowledge, beats the previous record for most F1 cars stolen in a heist by 413,792.95 (a steering wheel got nicked off a 1990 Leyton House CG901 at Silverstone last year).

F1 HEADLINES: Verstappen humiliated as Hamilton issued FIA warning

KitKat: Please don't steal our stuff

In a statement given to The Athletic, a KitKat spokesperson 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.

"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.”

Nestle have warned that the chocolate bars could make their way into 'unofficial markets' after the theft. So if you're one of those enterprising kids on the playground who buys a multipack and then sells them in school at a mark-up...keep your head down for a week or two.