Germany's beloved strawberry season was soured on Sunday after unknown suspects helped themselves to a field near the western German town of Bad Sobernheim.

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The "brazen" theft took place around 4:50 p.m. local time (1450 UTC/GMT), police said in a statement, adding that a large group of people made off with "an as of yet unknown, but likely high number of strawberries."

The suspects used four to five rental cars to transport the freshly-picked goods, stashing them in the trunks of the cars.

Before authorities arrived to thwart the unsanctioned picking, the suspects fled the scene in an "unknown direction."

Another fruit theft also occurred over the weekend in the southwestern state of Baden-Württemberg.

In the town of Bönningheim, located north of Stuttgart, thieves helped themselves to 55 cherry trees. Local authorities said the group made off with an estimated 50 kilograms (110 pounds) of cherries, amounting to some €400 ($467) in damages.

rs/msh (AFP, dpa)