Beer heist? 17,964 litres of alcohol valued at ₹66.76 lakh stolen in California, brand says ‘not a marketing stunt’

A truck carrying 40,000 pounds or 17,964 liters of beer has gone missing in California. According to a report by Fox News, police are currently investigating whether the shipment was part of a wider cargo theft operation that allegedly stole around $70,000 or ₹66.76 lakh worth of alcoholic beverages on a morning.

Missing beer shipment case in California

Pabst Brewing Company has confirmed that it was their truck containing the beer shipment that was stolen. As the large quantity of Pabst Blue Ribbon beer remains untraceable, the brand acknowledged the temptation to boast about having so much of their beer. However, it wished the beer had been obtained "the honorable way."

Police begins investigation

As police continue to probe the matter, the brand has given the alleged thief 18 days and 44 minutes to return the truck with no questions asked. It has also offered a reward to anyone who provides information to solve the mystery. However, the amount has not been disclosed.

The specific countdown is said to have a reference to 1844, the year Pabst was founded.

Is this a marketing stunt?

Amid this, many on the internet accused the brand of disappearing their own beer. Many also claimed the incident to be a marketing stunt. However, Pabst later issued a post to clarify any such claims. "To clear up the confusion, this story is real. If you have any leads on cracking this case, DM us.," the company said on Instagram. It also urged anyone with information about the missing truck to contact it directly. It warned that the “beer is getting warmer, trail is getting colder. Clock’s still ticking.”

No suspect, two more cargo theft cases

The Montclair Police Department is reportedly investigating two cargo thefts reported on August 17 at an Anheuser-Busch distribution centre which they believe could be related. In the first reported incident, a shipment worth around $45,000 and bound for Tucson, Arizona, was collected for delivery at about 10 am (local time). But, the shipment never reached its destination, police reported.

Around an hour later, police said an alleged subcontractor used fake paperwork to arrange the pickup of approximately $25,000 worth of Anheuser-Busch and Pabst Blue Ribbon products. Investigators found discrepancies including details of the trucking company, driver and vehicles associated with the pickups.

Fox News reported that Police said the incidents could be part of the same fraudulent cargo theft operation. No suspects have been publicly revealed.

It is still not known if the stolen cases of beer remain intact or has already been divided, distributed or sold to people illegally. Anyone with information about the thefts, vehicles, driver, delivery company or missing cargo has been asked to contact the authorities at 909-621-4771.