If it looks like a publicity stunt, and sounds like a publicity stunt, and smells like a publicity stunt . . . then instincts tell me this is probably just that:
Thousands of copies of the long-awaited fifth Harry Potter book have been stolen from a warehouse just days before the book’s eagerly-awaited launch. The books were in a white TNT trailer parked on a trading estate in Newton-le-Willows, Merseyside, waiting to be distributed to stores ahead of the launch at 0001 BST on Saturday.
Merseyside Police said: “A man with the front cab of the lorry turned up at the trading estate and presented himself as legitimate and was able to get away with the trailer full of goods.
“How he did that is still under investigation.”