If stealing is an art, what do you say about stealing the art itself.
Professional thieves usually take a break after a heist. In this case, they seem to have followed Nestlé’s famous tagline, have a break with KitKat, rather seriously.
These two unrelated, high-value international heists unfolded in lightning speed over the past few days, just ahead of Easter holidays. One occurred in Italy, and the other during transit from Italy to Poland. Different targets, same intent, identical audacity.
The first involved the daring theft of three priceless artworks by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Paul Cézanne and Henri Matisse from the Magnani-Rocca Foundation near Parma, valued at around $10 million.
The second was a rather unusual target: a 12-tonne consignment of KitKat bars, estimated to be worth between $4,50,000 and $6,70,000.
Precision and planning
While the art theft took place inside a historic building, the chocolate heist occurred during transit. Both operations, however, bore the hallmark of meticulous planning and swift execution by seasoned professionals.
Industry observers note that the motive in both cases lies in resale value.
Stolen art, ironically, is hard to sell. Too famous to hide, too risky to move, and too traceable to monetise easily. Chocolates, on the other hand, are far less fussy. Break them down, flood the market, and no one asks too many questions, except perhaps about sudden discounts.
Interestingly, Nestlé has claimed that the stolen consignment can be tracked through its ‘Stolen KitKat Tracker’. Incidentally, the tracker was launched on April Fools’ day.
Serious crime meets social media humour
Art theft is widely regarded as a serious offence, given its implications for cultural heritage and national identity. The loss of masterpieces is not merely financial, it is symbolic.
In contrast, the KitKat heist has triggered a mixed response. While the company is understandably concerned, social media has been abuzz with memes and tongue-in-cheek commentary.
The stolen artwork reportedly included a fish painting, making the episode, quite literally, “smell fishy.” Meanwhile, the KitKat bars were modelled on the lines of a Formula One car.
Given the value of the stolen consignment, one might even quip that the thieves have covered a sizeable portion of a Formula One car’s cost, before making their getaway at equally high speed.
In the end, whether it’s art for the elite or chocolate for the masses, one thing is clear: thieves, it seems, are equal opportunity connoisseurs.