Company offering reward for safe return of truckload of beer

August 31, 2026

Pabst Brewing Company is seeking public assistance after thieves stole approximately 40,000 pounds of Blue Ribbon beer valued at $25,000 from an Anheuser-Busch distribution facility in Montclair, California. The perpetrators used fraudulent documentation to pose as legitimate drivers and collected the San Diego-bound shipment on August 17th. This incident was one of two cargo thefts that occurred within an hour at the same location that day, with the first involving a $45,000 shipment destined for Arizona.

Who is affected

Pabst Brewing Company (owner of the stolen beer)
Anheuser-Busch (distribution center operator and contract brewer)
The intended recipients in San Diego (who did not receive their shipment)
The intended recipients in Tucson, Arizona (from the first theft)
Montclair Police (investigating the incidents)

What action is being taken

Pabst Brewing Company is seeking help through social media to locate the stolen beer
The company is offering an unspecified reward for the return of the shipment
Montclair Police are investigating both theft incidents
Investigators are examining whether the two thefts were part of the same fraudulent cargo-theft operation

Why it matters

This incident represents a significant cargo theft operation that demonstrates vulnerabilities in distribution logistics and freight security systems. The coordinated nature of potentially two thefts within an hour using fraudulent documentation suggests organized criminal activity targeting the supply chain, which could have broader implications for distribution centers and freight operations. The substantial financial losses ($70,000 combined if both thefts are related) and the bold execution of the crimes highlight security gaps that could affect other companies in the beverage and freight industries.

What's next

Pabst has given the thief 18 days and 44 minutes from their social media announcement to return the beer with no questions asked (the timeframe references the company's 1844 founding year).

Read full article from source: BBC