(VIDEO) Thieves Steal Truck Carrying 40000 Pounds of Pabst Blue Ribbon in Possible Largest Beer Heist Ever

MONTCLAIR, Calif. — A truck loaded with roughly 40,000 pounds of Pabst Blue Ribbon beer, the equivalent of more than 50,000 cans, was stolen from a Southern California distribution center in what the company and multiple outlets have described as potentially the largest beer heist ever recorded.

The Montclair Police Department said it is investigating two cargo thefts that occurred about an hour apart on Aug. 17 at an Anheuser-Busch distribution center on Brooks Street. In the first incident, a shipment worth roughly 45,000 dollars bound for Tucson, Arizona, was picked up for delivery around 10 a.m. but never arrived at its destination. About an hour later, a company claiming to be a subcontractor used fraudulent paperwork to arrange the pickup of an additional shipment worth roughly 25,000 dollars in Anheuser-Busch and Pabst Blue Ribbon products, according to police. The combined value of the two thefts totals roughly 70,000 dollars.

Paul Myers, Pabst's senior director of integrated marketing operations, told CBS Los Angeles that the missing truck had been carrying about 1,400 cases of Pabst Blue Ribbon and roughly 200 cases of non-alcoholic Old Milwaukee, and had been scheduled for delivery in San Diego. "And what we discovered was it was just a bad actor essentially who came in and pretended to be the person who was supposed to pick up the beer," Myers said. "It wasn't the person who was supposed to pick up the beer, and then they drove off with it."

Investigators said the trucking company information, driver identity and vehicle details connected to the pickups contained discrepancies, and police are working to determine whether the two thefts were carried out as part of the same fraudulent cargo-theft operation. No suspects have been publicly identified, and authorities have not disclosed any leads on the truck's current location or whether its cargo remains intact.

Pabst Blue Ribbon addressed the theft directly through a series of social media posts, adopting a lighthearted tone even as the company pressed for the truck's return. "STOLEN — 40,000lbs of beer," the company wrote on Instagram, adding, "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." The company gave the person responsible a specific window to return the vehicle without facing questions, writing, "Pabst is officially starting the clock now — you have exactly 18 days and 44 minutes to return our truck, no questions asked." The company has not explained the unusual countdown, though the choice of 18 days and 44 minutes appears to reference 1844, the year Pabst was founded.

Pabst also said it would offer a reward equivalent to half the value of the stolen beer if the truck and its cargo are safely returned, according to CBS Los Angeles, though the company has not disclosed a specific dollar figure for the reward tied to information leading to an arrest. As the deadline has ticked down, the company has continued posting updates, writing in one message, "Beer is getting warmer, trail is getting colder. Clock's still ticking," and asking anyone who believes they have spotted the truck to photograph it and tag or message the company directly.

The company later issued an additional post seeking to dispel suggestions that the theft was a publicity stunt. "To clear up the confusion, this story is real," Pabst wrote, again urging anyone with relevant information to reach out. A company spokesperson separately told Los Angeles ABC affiliate KABC that Pabst is "working with the local authorities to try and recover the stolen truck and are grateful for all their hard work," adding, "We hope that whoever managed to steal our truck also knows the importance of keeping beer cold."

The theft has drawn wide attention online, with commenters offering theories ranging from serious to satirical about what may have happened to the missing shipment. One social media user joked that the haul "would've only been 20,000 lbs if it was Pabst Light," while another speculated that "somebody's about to have a huge house party." Kit Kat's verified social media account also weighed in, referencing an unrelated March incident in which a truck carrying limited-edition Formula 1-themed Kit Kat bars was stolen in Italy.

The Montclair Police Department has asked anyone with information about the thefts, including details on the vehicles, driver, delivery company or the missing cargo's whereabouts, to contact investigators at 909-621-4771. Fox News Digital said it reached out to both Pabst Blue Ribbon and the Montclair Police Department for additional comment. The investigation remains active, and as of this weekend, the stolen truck and its cargo had not been recovered.