E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSS
Jochen Luebke / EPA
The missing golden Leibniz cookie hangs from the statue of a horse in front of the Leibniz University in Hannover, Germany, on Tuesday.
MAINZ, Germany — Germany's famous "golden cookie" hostage may have been freed — released by none other than a Teutonic version of the Cookie Monster himself.
Police found a golden cookie hanging from a statue outside Leipniz University in Hannover Tuesday morning, several weeks after a metal cookie emblem was stolen from the headquarters of a German food company.
The 44-pound cookie emblem was taken from a statue outside the headquarters of German food giant Bahlsen in January. It had been a company landmark since 1913.
Local Hannover newspaper Hannoversche Allgemeine then received a ransom note signed by the "Cookie Monster" – complete with letters cut out of newspapers and a photo of the blue-haired "Sesame Street" character biting the golden treat.
The kidnapper demanded that a shipment of cookies be sent to a local children's hospital.
Last week the head of the company, Werner Bahlsen, offered to donate 52,000 packets of the manufacturer's popular Leipniz cookies to 52 different organizations after the safe return of its precious pastry. He also stressed that his company would "refuse to be blackmailed."
Police specialists on Tuesday determined that the cookie found on the Leipniz University statue was "most likely" the original golden treat.
Courtesy HAZ / Michael Thomas
A ransom note signed by the Cookie Monster was sent to a German newspaper, along with a photograph of a person dressed up as the "Sesame Street" character.
"I am very happy and I hope that it is really our cookie and that we can soon put it up again," Werner Bahlsen said in a statement.
As for the mysterious thief, he — or she — is not lacking a sense of humor.
Less than a week after Hannoversche Allgemeine received the first ransom note, another letter arrived in the mail. Once again it included a photo of a person dressed in Cookie Monster costume, police said.
This time, it was good news.
"Because Werni loves the biscuit as much as I do and now always cries and misses the biscuit so badly, I'm giving it back to him," the kidnapper wrote.
"Werni" is a nickname for the German name Werner, a reference to Werner Bahlsen's public appeals for the safe return of his company emblem.
And it seems the culprit deliberately chose the Leipniz University location for the return of its golden hostage as a nod to Bahlsen's popular "Leibniz Cookie".
Werner Bahlsen said in a statement Tuesday that he would keep his promise of donating 52,000 packages of cookies — if the golden cookie turns out to be the real thing.
Related:
Has Cookie Monster gone bad? 44-pound chunk of German statue stolen
Leave a Comment:
Our modern Robin Hood here makes sure kids sick kids get cookies.
I can live with that.
Me too except they never paid up..
Werner Bahlsen said in a statement Tuesday that he would keep his promise of donating 52,000 packages of cookies — if the golden cookie turns out to be the real thing. Guess you didnt read enough.
Lei P niz?? What idiot wrote this?? NBC should watch PBS and learn to spell correctly!
"Lei P niz".... sounds French.
Chalk one up for the "Cookie Monster" whoever they are, maybe it was even someone from the company itself as free advertising is just that free and everyone wants it.
Did they check the returned cookie for teeth marks or do a DNA test on it? You know, since the Cookie monster tends to slobber I'm told. Then check that with all the known cookie criminals database in Switzerland or maybe the EU?
Until then I hope the company follows through with its promise to give away some tasty cookies to all the kiddos!
Of course this is all my bad attempt at humor as no one died in this story and no one was shot or stabbed and that in itself is a huge win for a story these days.
PS, If memory serves me right isn't the cookie monster undergoing treatment for his addiction? I hope the cookie monsters treatment program kicks it up a notch, as this is huge setback for him. I wish him lots of luck and cookies for his progress and future.