Given that you have three option to merge any equipment on you into your Wild Shape form:
You choose whether your equipment falls to the ground in your space, merges into your new form, or is worn by it. [pg. 67 - PHB]
as well as potentially the following line:
Equipment that merges with the form has no effect until you leave the form. [pg. 67 - PHB]
How is the weight of the merged equipment handled?
If you were potentially heavily encumbered using the Variant: Encumbrance rules [pg. 176 - PHB], would you negate this penalty temporarily by wild shaping, or is all that loot the Druid pilfered from the cave still being stored somewhere on the Druid's furry, bear body?