Thieves in the United Kingdom have taken their crime to a new level. British authorities are currently in pursuit of 70,000 pints of stolen Guinness beer. The stolen cargo, consisting of two full trailer truckloads of the popular dark brew, valued at £115,000 (equivalent to $216,000 Canadian dollars), was taken from a warehouse near Liverpool in the northwest of England, as reported by the Cheshire Constabulary on Thursday.
Detective Sergeant Gary McClatchy emphasized the importance of ensuring that the stolen Guinness is fully recovered, stating, “While it is commonly believed that ‘Guinness is good for you,’ this only holds true when the beverage has been legitimately acquired.” The recent theft echoes a similar incident in the United States, where the theft of approximately 34,000 cans of Pabst Blue Ribbon beer garnered public attention due to the brewery’s humorous social media responses.
The stolen Guinness was originally intended to be distributed to pubs but was seized on Monday night by two drivers at an industrial park in Runcorn. The culprits managed to make off with about 800 barrels of stout loaded onto the trailers, which were estimated to be worth £50,000 ($93,000). In a separate case in Southern California, thieves made off with Pabst beer valued at $70,000 USD ($97,000 Canadian dollars), leading the company to offer a $20,000 USD reward for any information leading to the recovery of the stolen merchandise.
In response to the theft, Pabst took to social media, addressing the thief directly with a touch of humor, saying, “To the thief: we understand your desire to impress your friends with your stash of PBR, but we urge you to acquire it through lawful means. This message is genuine, and we are completely serious.”