British police said on Saturday they had discovered a haul of stolen toilet paper and hand wash products - in short supply due to the spread of coronavirus - after stopping a vehicle that had also been stolen.

Three men were arrested late on Friday for burglary offences relating to the dozens of packs of toilet paper and hand sanitiser, which have been hard to find in stores in Britain as shoppers rushed to stock up, and for the theft of the vehicle.

“Police officers always get a massive sense of satisfaction when we catch burglars... however we never expected to find this stolen loot in the boot,” the Operational Support Group of police in Essex, a county northeast of London, said on Twitter.