If anyone knows the gentleman who decided to relocate our Yoda, let him know we'll take him back no questions asked. #BringYodaHome #STL pic.twitter.com/uqRGKVX2zU
— Steve's Hot Dogs - St. Louis (@steveshotdogs) December 6, 2022
You know there's a disturbance in the Force when someone steals your Yoda statue.
That's exactly what happened yesterday to St. Louis dining destination Steve's Hot Dogs on South Grand Boulevard.
The concrete Yoda statue, about the size of a lawn gnome but weighing 100 pounds, sat outside Steve's facing the sidewalk by the outdoor eating area. Around 3 a.m. Tuesday morning, a scruffy-looking nerf herder came by with bolt cutters, cut its chain and scurried off.
Surveillance video captured the thief struggling with all the grace of a Tusken raider, his back buckling at one point as he carried Yoda away.
"If anyone knows the gentleman who decided to relocate our Yoda, let him know we'll take him back no questions asked," the official Steve's Twitter account posted yesterday, along with a still from surveillance video.
Steve's co-owner Danni Eickenhorst says that the Steve's team discovered the statue at Gringo Jones and hand-painted it to match the colorful vibe of Steve's.
"We have high hopes of developing our patio into a festive fun place to match the vibe of our restaurant — with statues, public art, murals and more — and this was our first piece," Eickenhorst tells the RFT. "We understand loving the little guy — we do, too — but we hope that the thief will decide to return him in the night, just as he took him — no questions asked. Just bring Yoda home."
There has been no word if authorities are worried if this marks the start of a rash of such crimes. It's been said Star Wars-themed statue thieves startle easily, only to return later and in greater numbers.Watching him carry it away cracked me up. I hope he lives close. pic.twitter.com/7rkJTVQHaB
— Danni Eickenhorst ✨ (@STLDanni) December 6, 2022
"They say that the first 48 hours is the most critical in any missing person's case," Eickenhorst tells the RFT. "Unfortunately, we have no leads and no one has reached out with demands."
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