Nutella alert after 20 tonnes of chocolate spread stolen by gang

German police have issued an alert after up to €70,000 worth of Nutella was stolen from a lorry.

Thieves made off with the trailer – filled with 20 tonnes of Nutella, Kinder Surprise eggs and other chocolate products – from the German town of Neustadt.

The haul, believed to be worth between €50,000 and €70,000, was taken between Saturday evening and midday on Sunday.

According to The Times, Neustadt police released a statement urging people to immediately report “anyone offering large quantities of chocolate via unconventional channels”.

A police spokesman added: “It is not even clear if they were after the sweets or after the trailer — at this point we do not know what their motive was.”

Officers are investigating whether the theft had any link to a trailer that was stolen in Weimar, 190km to the east, over the weekend.

A fruit juice lorry was also stolen on Saturday in Wittenburg, northeast of Neustadt.