British police are hunting for 70,000 pints of Guinness stolen in two separate trailer heists from an industrial park in Runcorn, near Liverpool, on Monday evening. The missing stout and vehicles are estimated to be worth around £205,000 in total, according to regional law enforcement.
Thieves executed a brazen logistics heist in northwest England, driving off with more than 800 barrels of the iconic Irish stout intended for public houses. According to the Cheshire Constabulary, the targeted theft unfolded at an industrial site on Aston Lane, leaving investigators scrambling to trace the missing haul.
The Heist at Whitehouse Industrial Estate in Runcorn
The operation targeted a storage depot at the Whitehouse Industrial Estate in Runcorn, near Liverpool, where the stout was resting inside two heavy goods vehicle trailers ahead of scheduled distribution. Diageo, which owns Guinness, has a packaging warehouse on the Whitehouse Industrial Estate on Aston Lane. Investigators established that the criminals executed their plan in two distinct phases on Monday evening, separating the vehicle pickups by nearly two hours.
The first wagon-load was taken at about 19:45 BST, when a lorry connected to an HGV trailer and drove away from the depot. Police said the first trailer was stolen around 7:45 PM, and another was taken later that evening. A second lorry arrived at the same site at 9:12pm and connected to another trailer, which also contained barrels of Guinness, before leaving at 9:30pm in the direction of Rainhill and Watkinson Way, police said.
Escape Routes and Trailer Identification
Authorities have tracked the departure trajectories of the stolen rigs, noting that the two trailers split up and headed in different directions after leaving the industrial estate. The two trailers reportedly left the area in different directions, with one heading towards the Mersey Gateway and the other travelling towards Rainhill and Watkinson Way. The lorry is said to have connected to an HGV trailer containing the Guinness and left the site at about 7.55pm in the direction of the Mersey Gateway bridge.
The Cheshire Constabulary released specific descriptions of the transport equipment involved in the operation. The trailers are described as white tri-axle curtain side trailers with branding for logistics company GXO on curtains and rear doors. Police also issued physical descriptions of the suspected drivers based on witness and site observations, noting that both HGVs were believed to have been driven by men. The first driver is described as white with a short dark beard and he was wearing a beanie hat, while the second is believed to have been wearing a cap.
Financial Estimates and Supply Chain Impact
The total financial damage of the operation extends far beyond the fermented cargo itself. While the roughly 800 barrels of stout — translating to approximately 70,400 individual pints — carry an estimated value of £115,000, the loss of the transport vehicles pushes the figure higher. The stolen barrels – which each would hold about 88 pints – had been destined for pubs, the force added. It is estimated the total value of the items stolen, including the trailers and the Guinness, is about £205,000.
The stout theft comes just weeks after a heist of 34,000 cans of Pabst Blue Ribbon from a Southern California warehouse.
Police Appeal and Ongoing Investigation
Detectives investigating the supply-chain breach have urged motorists, logistics workers, and local residents who were driving through the Aston Lane area on Monday evening to check dashcam footage for any sign of the white GXO-branded trailers. Dashcam footage could also help investigators trace the stolen trailers. The force has established incident reference number IML-2408641 for anyone submitting tips through their website, or by calling 101.
“It is famously said that ‘Guinness is good for you,’ but that is only the case when it has been bought and paid for. We will settle for nothing less than the full recovery of all the items stolen.”Det. Sgt. Gary McClatchy, Cheshire Police
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