$155,000 Worth of Guinness Beer Stolen in Nighttime Cargo Heist

(Photo by Artur Widak/NurPhoto via AP)

British police are on the lookout for approximately 800 barrels of Guinness beer that vanished from an industrial park near Liverpool at the beginning of last week.

Authorities say that thieves made away with two truckloads of dark stout valued at around £115,000 (~ USD $155,00). The trucks were reportedly heisted from a third-party logistics site in the town of Runcorn, where they were intended to be shipped to local pubs.

According to the Cheshire Constabulary, two unidentified inviduals arrived at the logistics site on Monday night and hauled off 70,000 pints worth of the frothy loot. Excluding the beer, the value of the stolen trailers is estimated at 50,000 pounds ($68,000).

“It is famously said that ‘Guinness is good for you,’ but that is only the case when it has been bought and paid for,” Dept. Sgt. Gary McClatchy said. “We will settle for nothing less than full recovery of the stolen items.”

When asked for comment by The Drinks Business, Guinness owner Diageo confirmed that it was aware of the theft. The British alcohol giant is reportedly cooperating with authorities, though it is unable to provide further information to the public in an active investiagtion. The firm did, however, confirm that the theft will not have any impact on supply.

The brazen heist follows on the heels of a similar incident that occurred across the pond less than two weeks earlier. At the end of August, Pabst Blue Ribbon claimed that 50,000 cans of beer had gone missing in California after a shipment disappeared en route to San Diego. The shipment contained 1,602 cases of beer and was valued at about $45,000, according to Montclair police.

Pabst Brewing Company CEO Greig DeBow quickly turned the incident into a marketing opporunity, dubbing it the “Great American Beer Heist” and offering $20,000 to anyone who could provide information leading to its return.

“As many of you know, a great deal of PBR has gone missing,” DeBow said in a video statement. “That’s actually not cool though. … We want it back. We’re going to offer up a $20,000 reward for any new information leading to the lost goods. It’s that simple. There has been a hell of a lot of support thus far, and we really appreciate it.”

Guinness parent company Diageo is one of the largest alcohol firms in the world, reponsible for over 200 brands including Don Julio, Johnnie Walker, Smirnoff and Casamigos. The firm is currently in the midst of a much-reported restructuring plan that aims to cut $1 billion in costs over the next three years through agressive job cuts and distillery closures.