‘Van Theft Auto’: Unknown Brewery offers 25-cent beer after stolen beer van found

CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV) - Charlotte’s Unknown Brewing Company is offering the community “as close to a free keg party” as possible for helping find their stolen beer van.

The company’s beer delivery van was reported stolen early Monday and found just 42 minutes later.

“(Three) fine individuals stole one of our vans early this AM,”Unknown posted on Facebook Monday. The brewery is located just south of Uptown on S Mint Street.

Brewers are going to cook up new beer “Van Theft Auto,” which will be sold for 25-cents a pint.

“We wanted to thank all of you for helping us get our van back, by commenting, sharing and sending us tips via direct message,” Unknown posted.

“This thing blew up and went big on the social inter-webs. We’re good at marketing but not that good,” Brad Shell with Unknown Brewery posted Wednesday, saying it had been “a wild three days.”

Shell says Unknown has been asked if employees stole their own van. “Yes, that would be hilarious,” Shell said, but this wasn’t something they could make up.

Police believe the thief may have used Unknown’s van to commit more than 10 vehicle break-ins in the area before abandoning the van near Frazier Park, according to Unknown.

“We didn’t have a lot of facts to give out on Monday, we have a video of three individuals stealing the van at 1AM on Monday morning,” Shell posted.

A woman named Caroline Faith was credited by the company with finding the van 42 minutes after it was reported stolen. The van was apparently parked on a Charlotte side street.

“We just hoped that offering a keg would be motivation to get people to help us find it,” Unknown said. “@carolineeeefaith you get a keg party on us.”

The brewery says tips poured in from nearby residents who noticed the obvious neon van.

“Thank you so much for your help, Queen City, you guys are #supersleuths!" Shell posted.

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