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.

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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.

"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

MAINZ, Germany — When a famous 44-pound metal cookie was stolen from outside a German factory, there was one obvious suspect. But few would have expected the Cookie Monster himself to claim responsibility for the crime.

The giant golden snack has been a landmark as part of a statue at leading cookie manufacturer Bahlsen's site in Hannover since 1913 until it vanished on Jan. 21.

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This week, the first clue emerged when a ransom note made up of letters cut from newspapers and signed by the "Cookie Monster" was sent to a local newspaper.

The sender demanded that a shipment of cookies be sent to to a local children’s hospital. "The ones with milk chocolate, not the ones with dark chocolate or without chocolate," the letter read. 

And should the request not be fulfilled? "The golden cookie would be sent to the trash can of Oscar the Grouch," the ransom note warned.

An accompanying photo showed someone dressed up as the famous "Sesame Street" character taking a big bite from a golden cookie.

Investigators are unsure whether it is the actual metal cookie missing from Bahlsen or just a hoax. "The ransom note and the photo have been forwarded to criminalists for investigation," a police spokesman in Hannover said.

Police have received only one other tip: Witnesses reported having seen two men with a ladder working at the statue two weeks ago.

Experts say the theft of the cookie could be connected to rising thefts of metal across Germany, as the value of bronze, iron and other metals has gone up significantly. In recent years, thieves have stolen electric cables, bells and even train tracks in Germany and other European countries.

So far, there are only crumbly clues in the investigation, but the company has offered the equivalent of more than $1,300 for any information leading to the recovery of the historic golden cookie.

Company boss Werner Bahlsen made a public appeal for the return of the cookie in a Wednesday news conference, adding, "We refuse to be  blackmailed."