Big Rock will trade beer for stolen statue

A Calgary brewery is promising a "generous portion" of its new beer in exchange for the safe return of a stolen 2.4-metre tall statue.

Big Rock Brewery said its Eddie, a genial figure holding a bottle of beer, was stolen from the Epcor Centre for the Performing Arts just before midnight on June 7.

The statue, created in the likeness of brewery founder Ed McNally, was displayed at the Big Rock Eddies event that night. The boisterous party celebrates winners of an annual commercial and print ad contest for the brewery.

Surveillance images captured a man wearing a white cowboy hat taking the Eddie statue out of the centre, with another man following behind. Both are described as white and in their thirties.

Big Rock officials said they don't intend to pursue charges, and simply want the statue returned in one piece.

Any information leading to its safe return will be rewarded with a "generous portion" of Big Rock's new Gopher Lager, said the company.

The 23-kilogram statue, made of industrial strength Styrofoam, was created in the late '90s. The company that made two of the "priceless and irreplaceable" Eddie statues for Big Rock is no longer in business.