Reward after thieves steal chocolate worth �22,000

Richard Parr A Fakenham-based haulage company is offering a �5,000 reward after a daring raid on its Cheshire depot during which thieves got away with chocolate bars worth �22,000.

Richard Parr

A Fakenham-based haulage company is offering a �5,000 reward after a daring raid on its Cheshire depot during which thieves got away with chocolate bars worth �22,000.

The reward is being offered for the arrest and conviction of those responsible for stealing 25 pallets of Boost and Bounty bars.

Jack Richards and Son's Fakenham-based managing director Peter Brown says that it is the first such raid from the depot in five years and could be a reflection of the current economic down turn with such commodities being stolen to sell on.

“This theft could be a result of the economic down turn and I think that this type of theft may well increase,” said Mr Brown.

Security staff saw a tractor unit making a gateway from the depot in Lostock, Cheshire, at about 9.40pm on March 2 and the firm believes the thieves slipped into the compound unnoticed behind lorries coming in to load up.

Mr Brown said that there would have been a flow of trucks in the yard at the time of the theft and the thieves used a similar truck, but one of a different colour, to ones used by the company. At night, on black and white CCTV, their truck would not have looked out of place. “Obviously some thought went into this operation,” he said.

He said : “We are not going to take this lying down because it could affect our relationship with customers and we could lose business. That is why we are offering a �5,000 reward.”

Anyone with any information about the raid on March 2 should contact the Northwich Specialist Investigation Unit on 01244 613254.