Truck carrying 50,000 cans of beer stolen in California
The manufacturer of a truck that vanished in California while carrying 50,000 cans of beer is pleading for its return, stating, "We won't ask any questions if you just return the truck." The vehicle was loaded with approximately 18 tons of beer.
According to Montclair police, the thefts occurred twice on August 17 at the Anheuser-Busch distribution center. The first incident, reported around 10 a.m. local time, involved a shipment worth approximately $45,000 bound for Tucson, Arizona, which was not collected. An hour later, individuals posing as subcontractors used falsified documents to steal approximately $25,000 worth of Anheuser-Busch and PBR products.
Police stated they discovered discrepancies between the carrier information and the driver and vehicle records. Authorities suspect that both incidents may be linked to the same organized cargo theft ring. The total value of the beer and cargo stolen in these incidents is estimated at approximately $70,000.
PBR addressed the perpetrators, stating, "We understand the temptation to boast about that much PBR, but we hope you obtained it the honorable way." The company set a return deadline of precisely 18 days and 44 minutes. While a reward was offered for information, the brand did not disclose the amount or the rationale behind the specific timeframe. PBR later confirmed the authenticity of the story in a follow-up post titled, "To clear up the confusion, this story is real." In the meantime, they encouraged witnesses to snap photos and come forward with the slogan: "The beer is getting warm, but the leads are getting cold."
The social media comments section was flooded with remarks noting that the load would have been half the weight if it were PBR Light, and questions asking if the reward consisted of the beer inside the truck. The official account for chocolate brand Kit Kat also chimed in, commenting, "We know a thing or two about this kind of thing." Kit Kat previously lost a truck carrying 12 tons of its limited-edition Formula 1-shaped chocolates on March 26 of this year.
The investigation is still in its early stages with no identified suspects, and few details regarding the circumstances of the theft or the whereabouts of the cargo have been released. Police have not yet determined whether the beer remains intact or if it has already been split up and distributed.
