NESQUEHONNING, CARBON COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — In what might be the strangest police Facebook post you'll see all year, authorities say, "Ronald McDonald is missing." Local police say a group walked into an NEPA McDonald's and walked out with the plastic icon.
In the middle of the day, while customers waited for food and employees worked the lunch rush, Nesquehoning Police say a group of teens walked into this McDonald's and stole something no one expected: Ronald McDonald himself.
Police say they didn't sneak in. They didn't wait for the store to close. They picked him up and walked right out the door.
"I'm pretty mad. I mean, it's expensive. It has sentimental value to the owners. They don't make things like that anymore," Nesquehoning McDonald's General Manager Eve Snyder told 28/22 News.
The statue had been part of this store for about 25 years. A symbol of joy for the community, Ronald wasn't just a decoration. He attended fundraisers, met kids at events, and helped raise money for charity.
Ronald didn't sit outside like most McDonald's statues. He had a place right here on a shelf inside the playplace.
It's a room made for kids, and it even has one of the last talking trees you'll find at any McDonald's. But now, with Ronald missing, you'll find one less familiar face in the room.
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The story quickly spread online, turning into one of the most talked-about events in town.
"Yeah, it's crazy. I didn't expect it to blow up like this. I made a post on Facebook, and it's just been nonstop all day," Snyder continued.
"It was weird. I got here, and something felt different. Then I saw the sign and I was like, what happened? My buddy showed me on Facebook," Nesquehoning resident Brooks Murphy said.
The restaurant is hoping Ronald will come back, no questions asked.
"If they drop him off tonight, on the lawn, in the dark, whatever. We definitely want him back. We're gonna have a big welcome home party if we get him back," Snyder added.
The owners of the restaurant say as of Monday night, there's still no sign of Ronald McDonald.
