A cross-country charcuterie con job got here to an in depth Friday afternoon when a customized Slim Jim promotional automobile stolen in California was found outdoors of Chicago.
Slim Jim, a Conagra model, first mentioned the theft publicly on Dec. 16. The automobile was reported stolen on Dec. 13, whereas on its approach to a video shoot in Los Angeles, Conagra spokeswoman Amy Morgan instructed the Tribune.
“We were incredibly surprised,” Morgan stated. “I think we had all assumed we would never see it again.”
The automobile was recovered Dec. 22 from the car parking zone of a Holiday Inn Express in Hillside. Police got here to the resort after receiving a ping from Sirius XM round 1 p.m., Hillside police spokesperson Andrew Mack instructed the Tribune. The automobile had been loaded onto a transport trailer.
Some vehicles geared up with Sirius XM radio have a monitoring function, which can be utilized by regulation enforcement to get well stolen automobiles, Mack stated.
“I suppose the fact that it’s a fancy-looking car probably contributes to the appeal of it,” Mack stated.
The Slim Jim automobile is a comparatively new asset for Conagra, Morgan stated. The model’s typical fare is shelf-stable meat sticks containing a mixture of beef, pork and rooster.
The flamboyant automobile’s travels got here to life as a part of a partnership between Slim Jim and WWE that was introduced in August. The automobile has been a staple at WWE wrestling occasions across the nation, together with the Survivor Series event in Rosemont on Nov. 25.
The automobile not too long ago starred in a collection of Slim Jim commercials together with WWE wrestler LA Knight, who crushed 24 opponents within the Slim Jim Battle Royal wrestling competitors this summer time.
The Slim Jim automobile, a customized Nissan Z nicknamed “Fast Meat,” has constructed a cult following on-line. Slim Jim took to X, previously Twitter, to encourage followers of the model to maintain an eye fixed out for the lacking meat cell.
Slim Jim additionally posted a redacted police report final week, clapping again at those that known as the theft a publicity stunt.
“There’s been by and large a very positive response from the community,” Morgan stated. “It’s an engaged community already, but just knowing them, this could be an opportunity to get them further invested in the car.”
Hillside police discovered the automobile on a transport trailer and towed it to a safe car parking zone. The automobile was discovered with its customized graphics and decal wrappings partially eliminated.
The recovered roadster is at the moment in an Illinois storage awaiting repairs to its exterior wrap. Fast Meat got here again to its house owners “fairly operational,” Morgan stated. When it hit the street, Fast Meat got here geared up with a customized Slim Jim dispenser within the glove field and customized Slim Jim holders on the dashboard and seat belts. Word continues to be out on if the thieves took souvenirs.
Slim Jim declined to press fees in opposition to the operator of the transport trailer, Mack stated. No arrests have been made as investigations proceed in Hillside and in Los Angeles County, the place the automobile was stolen.
“It was a very, very unfortunate incident,” Morgan stated. “Being able to really turn to the community to help us, in a time that was ultimately not the best experience for our brand — they’ve been able to really help us turn this around.”
©2023 Chicago Tribune. Visit chicagotribune.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”