A tractor-trailer carrying a consignment of beer overturned on federal Highway 85 in the northern state of Tamaulipas on Monday, and local residents arrived quickly on the scene to help … themselves to the cargo, that is.
According to official reports cited by the newspaper Record, the driver of the truck fell asleep at the wheel and lost control of the vehicle, which flipped onto its side on the shoulder of the highway.
❌❌Así se puso la rapiña luego de la volcadura de un camión de cerveza en el km 32 de la carretera Victoria-Monterrey.
Decenas de personas llegaron al lugar y, en cuestión de minutos, se llevaron la carga del tráiler accidentado.
📽️Osberto Vera MX#Tamaulipas #CiudadVictoria pic.twitter.com/EFb5VQC7WH
— @EnUn2x3 (@EnUn2x3) June 2, 2025
The driver was unhurt, but he was helpless to prevent what happened next.
Although the accident occurred along a rural stretch of the Monterrey-Ciudad Victoria highway, dozens of people of all ages scurried to the truck and began carrying off the beer.
Media reports indicated the accident occurred near the villages of Plan de Ayala and Santa Clara. Plan de Ayala has a population of approximately 1,200 people, while Santa Clara is home to less than 500.
Word spread quickly, however, and residents of several communities in the area began showing up for free chelas. As the accident had torn off a large section of the roof of the truck, its contents were readily accessible.
The coveted cargo was plundered swiftly, according to the online news site Punto x Punto, which posted video of the larcenous scene on social media.
The many videos prompted social media users to wonder why it took so long for authorities to reach the scene.
The news site Animal Político reported that a National Guard contingent actually did arrive while the looting was still in progress, momentarily putting a halt to it, but the troops were unable to contain the crowd as more and more people assembled.
“In the face of the growing crowd, the security forces were overwhelmed,” Animal Político reported. “The multitude tore back the laminated roof of the truck and began to walk off with cartons, cases and bottles of beer, carrying them away on foot or loading up cars.”
The authorities finally secured the site and began forensic studies to determine the cause of the crash.
State prosecutors reminded the public that looting is a crime and announced that they are studying the videos in an attempt to identify the persons involved.
But this was by no means an unprecedented event. Similar cases of post-accident beer pillaging have occurred in Zacatecas and Campeche.
The authorities did not confirm if the trucking company had filed a complaint over the cargo theft.
With reports from Animal Político and Record
