Bay View business owner says stolen Schlitz sign has been returned
Update on Thursday, June 4 at 7:46 p.m.:
The owner of the sign says the sign has been returned.
BAY VIEW, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Inside of Brewtown Collectibles in Bay View are hundreds of various beer signs and brewery memorabilia.
Owner Todd Brown and his wife have spent decades collecting and restoring their unique finds, some to keep and others to sell.
Last weekend, the couple found what may be their biggest yet -- a whopping 250-pound, five-and-a-half foot tall Schlitz beer sign from the 1960s.
“I’ve been doing this forever and that was the first time I’ve ever seen that sign," Brown told CBS 58's Ellie Nakamoto-White.
On Sunday, they brought it to their store and left it on a wooden pallet by the front door on the covered porch.
“It took us six people to get up there," Brown said.
But nearly 48 hours later, the massive piece had vanished.
"I said, oh I hope a scrapper didn’t take it by accident," Brown said. "I was in pretty much shock for a couple hours.”
Security images obtained by CBS 58 show two people in a dark blue pickup truck pulling into the area and then driving away with the sign in the back.
"They intended to steal it," Brown said. “They’ve had the sign in their possession longer than I have.”
Brown said they had been planning to convert their shop into a museum, and the sign was supposed to be a focal point for sponsors.
Now, he's urging those responsible to do the right thing.
“I have so many sign collectors and we’re all hunters," Brown said. “We’re used to this stuff, and we’ll find you."
Milwaukee police said they are actively investigating the theft and are on the lookout for the people involved.
Anyone with any information is asked to contact Milwaukee police at (414) 935-7222 or to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at (414) 224-Tips or P3 Tips.