Alright, let’s talk about one of the most bizarre crimes of the year—because apparently, we now live in a world where not even gummy bears are safe.
Somebody, somehow, managed to steal 3,222 cases of Haribo gummy bears from a storage facility near the Port Newark–Elizabeth Marine Terminal in New Jersey. That’s not a typo. We’re talking about tens of thousands of pounds of chewy, colorful, sugary joy—gone.
Just vanished into thin air. The estimated value? Around $48,000. And sure, in the world of high-stakes theft, that might not sound like Oceans 11 material, but for anyone with a sweet tooth or a deep respect for candy logistics, this is borderline sacrilegious.
Here’s the thing: Haribo isn’t some fly-by-night candy company. These folks have been perfecting the gummy bear game since 1922. Hans Riegel, the guy behind the brand, started in Bonn, Germany, back when flapper dresses were in and radios were the cutting-edge tech.
The name Haribo? It’s literally just “Hans Riegel Bonn” smashed together, because that’s how German candy empires are born. What started as a small treat for kids in post-WWI Europe became a global phenomenon. Fast forward to today, and they’re churning out 60 million gummy bears a day at their Wisconsin factory.
And yet, despite all that, somebody just jacked a container full of them in Jersey. Just like that.
Now, this isn’t the first time a shipping heist like this has gone down. We’ve seen everything from high-end tequila to sneakers to electronics go missing in these kinds of operations, often involving forged paperwork and stolen trucks.
But gummy bears? That’s a new one. And while it might sound funny at first glance, the theft shows just how organized and under-the-radar these crimes can be.
No arrests. No leads. Just a big, gaping hole where thousands of cases of Haribo once sat. Whether it was a rogue candy reseller, a mistake in the shipping chain, or someone planning the world’s weirdest Halloween haul, one thing’s for sure—this isn’t your average smash-and-grab.
So if you start seeing sketchy discount gummy bears popping up at flea markets or gas stations, maybe give ’em a second look. Someone out there is sitting on a whole mountain of stolen candy, and until the trail heats up, the bear hunt continues.
