In a baffling incident, a Ronald McDonald statue was taken during daylight hours from the only McDonald’s in a quiet Pennsylvania town, prompting local authorities to refer to the event as a “McNapping.”
The statue features the iconic cheerful redhead dressed in a bright yellow outfit. Surveillance footage shared by the Nesquhoning Police Department captured the event.
“This wasn’t just any theft; it was a full-on McNapping. Ronald was last spotted smiling as if unaware of what was happening. A witness mentioned that he didn’t even put up a fight,” the police remarked on their Facebook page.
“To the suspect: we understand that times are challenging and healthcare is costly. But did you really have to snatch this plastic symbol of joy? That’s just not right,” the post continued.
Authorities are urging the community to keep an eye out for Ronald, who’s been missing for a significant time now.
CCTV footage shows the suspect fleeing in a black car with a license plate that isn’t easily readable.
Notably, fewer McDonald’s restaurants still display the classic mascots, as many have modernized over the years, resulting in the removal of Ronald and others.
It seems some hungry thieves are drawn to these nostalgic figures.
In 2017, two individuals took a life-size statue from a McDonald’s in New Jersey. Prior to that, there was an incident in Vermont where someone decapitated a Ronald statue.
In 2019, an artist created a controversial piece depicting the mascot on a cross, dubbed “McJess,” which sparked outrage in Israel after a protester demanded its removal and attacked police officers in response.
Interestingly enough, an identical Ronald statue is up for sale on eBay for $2,500, with a pickup location in Langhorne, Pennsylvania.
The mystery surrounding Ronald’s disappearance continues…
