VIDEO: Historic 250-pound beer sign stolen off Wisconsin front porch

WISN 12 APP. A HISTORIC BEER SIGN STOLEN A SECURITY CAMERA CAPTURING THIEVES. LOADING THE 250 POUND SCHLITZ ARTIFACT ONTO A TRUCK AND THEN TAKING OFF. THIS HAPPENED RIGHT NEAR BAY STREET AND KINNICKINNIC AVENUE TUESDAY NIGHT. 12 NEWS HANNAH HILYARD HAS THE OWNER’S DESPERATE PLEA FOR ITS RETURN. THIS IS THE ONE THEY DISTRIBUTED TO EVERYBODY WITH FOUR STORIES WORTH OF WISCONSIN BEER, RELICS. THAT’S 1961, OLD MILWAUKEE TODD BROWN AND HIS WIFE OF BREW TOWN COLLECTIBLES. ESTIMATE MORE THAN 1000 ANTIQUE BEER SIGNS FILL THEIR BAYVIEW BUILDING. AND JUST THIS WEEK, THEY ADDED ONE MORE. IT USED TO HANG ON TOP OF THE NORTHERN PINES RESORT IN BUTTERNUT, WISCONSIN, A 5.5FT TALL SCHLITZ SIGN DATING BACK TO 1964. USE IT AS PEOPLE COME IN AND LOOK AROUND AT THE OLD SIGNS AND KIND OF THE CENTERPIECE OR A SHOW STOPPER. YEAH, YEAH, BUT THAT CENTERPIECE IS NOW MISSING. FOLLOWING A TUESDAY THEFT. BROWN SAYS HE WAS GOING TO USE THIS CHAIN THAT IS STILL HERE TO SECURE THE SIGN TO THE FRONT PORCH. HE WAS ON HIS WAY TO PICK UP A LOCK FOR IT WHEN HE SAYS EIGHT MINUTES LATER, THOSE THIEVES SHOWED UP. SECURITY VIDEO SHOWS A DARK PICKUP TRUCK PULL UP TO THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING, AND TWO PEOPLE WALK OUT. FAST FORWARD SECONDS. THEY EVENTUALLY REVERSE THE TRUCK RIGHT UP TO THE PORCH WITH THE TAILGATE DOWN, AND SLIDE. THE 250 POUND COLLECTIBLE IN THE BACK BEFORE DRIVING OFF. I’M LIKE, MAYBE A SCRAPPER GRABBED IT BY ACCIDENT AND THEN WE SAW THE VIDEO AND THEY WERE STEALING IT. YOU KNOW, THEY KNEW YOU GOT TO GIVE ME. IT MEANS A LOT TO YOU. OH, YEAH. WE’VE BEEN DOING THIS A LONG TIME. BROWN SAYS HE REPORTED THE THEFT TO POLICE. WHAT’S THE ULTIMATE GOAL HERE? GET IT BACK RIGHT. IT’S A PIECE OF WISCONSIN HISTORY. AS THEY NOW PLEAD FOR ITS SAFE RETURN IN MILWAUKEE. HANNAH HILYARD WISN 12 NEWS. WELL, BROWN IS A LONGTIME BEER SIGN COLLECTOR. HE SAYS THE STOLEN SCHLI