A statue of a hot dog is shown at the Dairy Winkle restaurant, April 14, 2022, in the Campbells Creek ssection of Charleston, W.Va. The Kanawha County Sheriff's Office says the statue, which was stolen from the business during a break-in sometime after a Jan. 11, 2023, fire, has been returned. (Lori Kersey/Charleston Gazette-Mail via AP)
A statue of a hot dog is shown at the Dairy Winkle restaurant, April 14, 2022, in the Campbells Creek ssection of Charleston, W.Va. The Kanawha County Sheriff's Office says the statue, which was stolen from the business during a break-in sometime after a Jan. 11, 2023, fire, has been returned. (Lori Kersey/Charleston Gazette-Mail via AP)
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — The owner of a West Virginia restaurant that was heavily damaged by fire has his coveted hot dog statue back.
The “Wienerman†statue was stolen from the Dairy Winkle in Campbells Creek during a break-in sometime after the Jan. 11 fire, the Kanawha County Sheriff's Office said in a news release.
A tip led deputies to a location where the statue was found undamaged. It was returned to restaurant owner Kerry Ellison, the statement said.
Investigators have not identified a suspect and are seeking information about the theft.
The short statue depicts a hot dog licking its lips and holding a bottle of mustard while pouring a bottle of ketchup on its head.
Ellison hopes to reopen the restaurant later this year.
