10 truckloads of beer stolen in Germany during World Cup
Thieves in Germany made off with 10 truckloads of beer while the country was distracted by World Cup fever.
That's 300,000 litres of missing alcohol, or 140,891 six packs, worth around €2.1million (S$3.5m).
Police aren't even sure when the pallets of beer were stolen. It could be any time between last Thursday evening and Monday morning when the theft was discovered.
The authorities in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia have put up an appeal for help saying: “Has anyone noticed a very large amount of beer? Does anyone have information about where it could be stored?”
How did they get their hands on all that beer?
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that the thieves forced open a series of doors leading to an unguarded warehouse in an industrial area on the outskirts of the city of Krefeld.
The beer was in several pallets on the warehouse floor, reported Mail Online. The thieves loaded the beer into tractor-trailers, dropped off the goods and returned a couple of times to steal more.
WSJ reported a police spokesman as saying: "We are talking about a variety of beer types. However, I cannot say if it was bottled beer or canned beer or beer in another kind of container."
With prices at around €3.50 for half a litre, the beer is worth around €2.1million.
The spokesman said: "This is a very unusual case. Someone must have noticed such a large amount being transported."
Sorry, Mr Policeman, but with all eyes glued on the television screen for the World Cup finals between Germany and Argentina, we very much doubt that.
Source: AFP, Mail Online, The Wall Street Journal
Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now