UK Police force cracks case of 200,000 stolen Cadbury Creme Eggs from lock-up

According to the BBC, the theft of 200,000 Cadbury's Creme Eggs from an industrial estate in The Midlands nearly threw Easter into doubt, local police said.

The West Mercia force said it had been hunting individuals "presumably purporting to be the Easter bunny".

The confectionery vanished from a unit in Telford at the weekend. But the eggs were found when police stopped a vehicle on the M42 motorway, the force said. It added officers had "saved Easter for Creme Egg fans" in the recovery of the popular seasonal treat.

Joby Pool of no fixed abode has been charged with criminal damage and two counts of theft at Kidderminster magistrates court.

He is expected to be jailed for about two years next month, after pleading guilty to theft and criminal damage.

Prosecutor Owen Beale said Pool, a self-employed ground worker, used a tractor unit that had been stolen in the Yorkshire area in October to tow away the trailer full of chocolate, which was then driven away, eventually reaching the northbound M42, local media reported.

Pool was spotted by police and “gave up at junction 11 and walked towards the police with his hands up. He was arrested and the load was recovered”.