$70,000 of Pabst beer stolen from California warehouse

Two separate thefts of Pabst beer valued at $70,000 occurred at a Southern California warehouse on August 17, 2023, according to police in Montclair, California. The heists took place at an Anheuser-Busch distribution center approximately 40 miles (65 kilometers) east of Los Angeles. Police are investigating whether the thefts were part of a single operation, as investigators are still trying to determine the connection between the incidents.

In the first heist, about $45,000 worth of Pabst Blue Ribbon beer was picked up from the warehouse but never delivered, heading to Tucson, Arizona. An hour later, a company posing as a subcontractor submitted fake documents to attempt to steal another $25,000 worth of beer. The thefts resulted in the disappearance of roughly 34,000 cans of Pabst Blue Ribbon and non-alcoholic Old Milwaukee beer, totaling more than 1,500 cases.

Pabst Blue Ribbon decided to turn the thefts into a lighthearted social media promotion. The company weighed the stolen cargo at 40,000 pounds (18,145 kilograms) and launched a countdown on Instagram to see when the beer would be returned. In the posts, Pabst expressed their disbelief at the thefts and urged the thief to obtain the loot the "honorable way."

Pabst Blue Ribbon humorously stated, "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," in their Instagram posts. The company made it clear, "P.s. this is real and we are deadly serious."