It sounds like a setup to a joke, but police in Britain are seriously looking for a comically large amount of Guinness.
British police are facing an unusual challenge after thieves stole roughly 70,000 pints worth of Guinness.
Two trailer loads of the Irish stout, worth around £115,000 ($155,000), were stolen from a depot in Runcorn, near Liverpool, England.
The Guinness was destined for local pubs when the thieves arrived and hauled away the trailers containing hundreds of barrels.
Two Trucks Arrived at the Depot
According to Cheshire Constabulary, the theft took place on the night of August 31 when two drivers arrived separately at an industrial park in Runcorn.
The first driver arrived at around 7:45 p.m. and connected a truck to a trailer loaded with Guinness barrels before leaving shortly after. A second truck arrived at 9:30 p.m., connected itself to another trailer, and drove away.
According to the police, the first driver is a white, bearded male who was wearing a beanie hat, while the second driver is believed to be wearing a cap.
Police say the two trailers contained about 800 barrels of Guinness, representing approximately 70,000 pints of stout. The trailers themselves were also valuable, with their combined value estimated at around £50,000 ($67,000).
Police Want the Guinness Back
Detective Sgt. Gary McClatchy said police intend to recover the stolen beer and identify those responsible:
It is famously said that 'Guinness is good for you', but that is only the case when it has been bought and paid for. [...] We will settle for nothing less than the full recovery of all the items stolen.
The empty trailers were subsequently discovered in Skelmersdale, Lancashire, but the Guinness itself was still missing. Police are now appealing to anyone who recognizes the men or has information about the whereabouts of the stolen kegs.
This unusual crime comes shortly after another large-scale beer theft in the United States. In that case, around 34,000 cans of Pabst Blue Ribbon were stolen from a warehouse in Southern California. Police valued the stolen beer at approximately $70,000, while Pabst offered a $20,000 reward for information leading to its recovery.