Brazen thieves made off with more than 70,000 pints of Guinness, valued at £115,000, after stealing two articulated lorry trailers from a depot in Runcorn, Cheshire, on Monday evening. The theft occurred at the Whitehouse Industrial Estate.
Authorities are seeking witnesses to the incident, which involved two separate lorries arriving at the depot. The first arrived around 7:45 p.m., connected to a trailer carrying the stout, and departed at approximately 7:55 p.m. in the direction of the Mersey Gateway bridge. A second lorry arrived at 9:12 p.m., attached to another Guinness-laden trailer, and left the premises at 9:30 p.m. heading towards Rainhill and Watkinson Way.
The stolen barrels, numbering around 800, were awaiting delivery to pubs. Diageo, the owner of Guinness, has a packaging warehouse located on the Whitehouse Industrial Estate.
Cheshire Constabulary stated that both vehicles were believed to have been driven by men. The first driver was described as white, with a short dark beard and wearing a beanie hat. The second is thought to have been wearing a cap.
The combined estimated value of the stolen Guinness, trailers, and the beer itself is approximately £205,000. The trailers are white, tri-axle curtain-side models bearing the branding of logistics company GXO. They also have specific identification numbers on their rear doors: DL736 or DL542.
Detective Sergeant McClatchy of Cheshire Constabulary urged the public to come forward with any information. "It is famously said that 'Guinness is good for you,' but that is only the case when it has been bought and paid for," he stated. "We will settle for nothing less than the full recovery of all the items stolen." Police are particularly interested in any dashcam footage from motorists who were in the area during the times of the thefts.
Those with information are asked to contact Cheshire Police via their website or by calling 101, referencing incident number IML-2408641.