CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The beloved Weinerman statue has returned home.
The hot dog statue, stolen from the Dairy Winkle in West Virginia, has been located after it was stolen in the aftermath of a fire at the restaurant last week, WCHS-TV reported.
A fire ripped through the Charleston restaurant on Jan. 11, according to the television station.
Standing about 32 inches tall, Weinerman was a fixture in the area. The statue licks its lips while squeezing bottles of ketchup and mustard.
Kerry “Paco” Ellison, the owner of Dairy Winkle, told WCHS that the statue was stolen several days after the fire. Ellison said someone broke down the door of the business and took off with the statue, according to the television station.
According to a news release from the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the statue was valued at $1,000.
Deputies said they located the statue on Thursday after receiving a tip, the sheriff’s office said.
The agency said that the person or persons responsible for the theft and break-in at the restaurant has not been identified. An investigation is ongoing, the sheriff’s office said.
Ellison said he hopes to reopen the restaurant this summer, WCHS reported.
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