5 Tons Of Nutella Stolen: Robbers Steal $20,710 Worth, Police Say

Thieves made off with 5.5 tons of Nutella chocolate-hazelnut spread over the weekend in the central German town of Bad Hersfeld.

The product was stolen from a parked trailer in the town.

The cost of the stolen chocolate-hazelnut spread amounted to $20,710, police say. Authorities also suspect these same bandits stole energy drinks at the same location prior to this robbery. It's unclear how many people robbed the trailer.

The Italian spread has been well received since it was created in the 1940s, but recently the maker of the product faced controversy after claiming that it was a nutritious and healthy breakfast treat.

In recent television commercials, Nutella was portrayed as being a healthy alternative to other spreads, and consumers sued the company for false advertising. One tablespoon of the product contains 100 calories, six grams of fat, and two grams of saturated fat.

A class-action lawsuit was filed and eventually settled by Nutella maker Pietro Ferrero after consumers argued that Nutella contained “over 55 percent processed sugar” and contributed to childhood obesity, reports CBC News. Ferrero settled the suit, agreeing to pay about $2.5 million. Consumers who purchased the spread between January 2008 and Feb. 3, 2012 were owed a part of the settlement.

At the time, a spokesperson for the company said, "We stand behind the quality and ingredients of Nutella hazelnut spread and the advertising of our product."