Maltese Falcon stolen from restaurant

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Where's Sam Spade when you need him?

Thieves have stolen a copy of the bird statue at the heart of "The Maltese Falcon" from the San Francisco restaurant used as a setting for the 1941 film classic starring Humphrey Bogart as the rough-and-tumble private detective.

The small, black figure was swiped over the weekend along with 20 vintage books, including copies of the 1930 Dashiell Hammett novel on which the film is based.

John Konstin, whose restaurant John's Grill bills itself as the "Home of the Maltese Falcon," said the thief broke into the case displaying the statue over the weekend. Konstin is offering a $25,000 reward for the replica's return.

http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=oddlyEnoughNews&storyid=2007-02-15T113529Z_01_N13189626_RTRUKOC_0_US-MALTESEFALCON.xml&src=rss

the dingus? but not the actual figurine used in the movie?
which was worthless painted lead in the first place...

Maybe the thief thinks he can only get 5 to 10 ersatz years for stealing a copy of the stuff that dreams are made of.

I think the owner paid $25,000 for it. There were just a few made.

on the end table in the dock office at Warners for years. Rather tacky looking actually.