Thieves make off with $26,000 of beer

updated 1:28 p.m. ET Feb. 25, 2006

WEST BEND, Wis. - Authorities are hoping to break up what must be quite the party after beer thieves made off with almost $26,000 worth of suds from a delivery truck.

A semi trailer loaded with cans and bottles of Miller beer was stolen from a trucking company in Richfield, according to a Washington County Sheriff's Department report. The trailer was found four days later — sans beer — at an Oak Creek trucking firm.

The trailer had been dropped off at the Millis Transfer Co. sometime on Feb. 17 for delivery to a beer distributor in Menomonie, authorities said. Later that night, the trailer was discovered missing.

Company officials didn't report the loss immediately because they thought a driver must have picked up the wrong load.

The sheriff's department is investigating with Oak Creek authorities and Miller officials, said Sheriff's Capt. Dale Schmidt.

The missing product, valued at $25,788, included:

• 384 24-packs of Miller Genuine Draft cans
• 560 18-packs of MGD 12-ounce bottles
• 980 18-packs of MGD 12-ounce cans
• 40 24-packs of Miller Light 16-ounce plastic bottles

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