Police in Montclair, California, reported that thieves stole tens of thousands of cans of Pabst beer in two separate heists from a warehouse on the same day. The total value of the stolen beer is estimated at $70,000, according to infohub.kz.
Pabst Blue Ribbon has turned the incident into a light-hearted social media promotion. However, Montclair police are investigating whether the two thefts were part of a single operation.
In the first heist, about $45,000 worth of beer destined for Tucson, Arizona, was picked up but never delivered. An hour later, a "purported subcontracting company" submitted fake documents and took another $25,000 worth of beer. Both thefts occurred on Aug. 17 at an Anheuser-Busch distribution center about 40 miles (65 kilometers) east of Los Angeles.
According to the Los Angeles Times, a police report indicates that approximately 34,000 cans of Pabst Blue Ribbon and non-alcoholic Old Milwaukee beer — more than 1,500 cases — were stolen.
In Instagram posts, Pabst put the weight of the stolen cargo at 40,000 pounds (18,145 kilograms) and started a countdown for its return. The company wrote: "To the thief: we don’t fault you for wanting to brag to your friends how much PBR you have, we just wish you obtained it the honorable way." They added, "P.s. this is real and we are deadly serious."