Beer Company Offers Free Beer Reward for Stolen Van, Gets It Back in Minutes

There are few forces as powerful on Earth as the promise of free beer. Its alluring properties are evidently even capable of helping to solve crimes,...

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Shutterstock

There are few forces as powerful on Earth as the promise of free beer. Its alluring properties are evidently even capable of helping to solve crimes, after a brewing company was able to recover its stolen van just minutes after posting a reward that offered a free keg to anyone with information about it. 

When Unknown Brewing Company in Charlotte, North Carolina discovered one of its vans had been stolen on Monday, it took to Twitter to explain as much, and promised a reward to anyone with information about its whereabouts. Specifically, they promised a free keg party to anyone who found it, even to the folks who stole it (as long as they returned it). 

Incredibly, they got their first lead just 42 minutes later, after 15 people called in with tips. Ultimately, they tracked it down thanks to a woman who saw the post on social media and spotted the vehicle parked on her street. Considering the van is decked out in huge neon green lettering and logos, it's not a total shock that it was located so quickly. Still, you have to believe a free keg party promise didn't hurt. 

The folks who stole the van have not been identified, but they were caught on camera stealing it from a parking lot around 1am on Monday. Authorities believe they then used the van to commit over 10 car break-ins in the area before abandoning it. It's also unclear whether there was any damage done to the vehicle. The folks at Unknown were profusely thankful for all the help from the community. 

As for the "free" keg party they promised, Unknown clarified on Facebook that they will begin brewing a new beer this week -- dubbed "Van Theft Auto" -- and will sell it for $0.25 a pint (to cover taxes). It's not quite free, but the best they could do to reward their legion of loyal crime-fighting fans in Charlotte. 

FBI, take note! That America's Most Wanted list could get a lot shorter if you just throw some free beer rewards in the mix.

h/tThe Takeout


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Joe McGauley is a senior writer for Thrillist. Follow him @jwmcgauley.