Thieves broke into an east Hamilton trucking business on the weekend and made off with nearly $17,000 worth of shampoo and mouthwash.

They entered the Goderich Drive commercial trucking business sometime between midnight and 6 a.m. on Aug. 16. The mouthwash and shampoo were packed up and ready to be shipped, said Const. Debbie McGreal-Dinning from Hamilton Police Service.

Police are still trying to figure out if they specifically wanted the shampoo and mouthwash, or if that's what was most easily available, she said.

The suspects also stole the tractor — a 2003 blue Freightliner — that they used to pull the merchandise from the yard. The shampoo and mouthwash was in a 2005 DMND-FV trailer, which was also stolen.

The gates to the compound are open around the clock so truckers can enter and leave, McGreal-Dinning said. There was no one at the lot when the theft happened.

"The building is on a dead-end street so there's very little traffic after hours in that area," she said.

Police don't have a suspect description, but the break, enter and theft unit is investigating.