Someone stole a 14-foot Royals player off a billboard

Weeks after the installation of some new Royals billboards from Hy-Vee across Kansas City, it appears that one of them has fallen victim to some thievery. According to the Kansas City Star, someone bothered to climb the billboard overlooking Interstate 435, and took a 14-foot figure of a Royals player jumping to steal a home run. It looked like a regular photo of Kauffman Stadium’s wall:

On Friday, they found the player, abandoned by whomever stole it, laid down under bushes, like it had a wild night. And it’s still holding onto that ball! That’s how you know this is an excellent baseball player.

It took three people to carry it back home:

Here’s what the billboards look like when they aren’t hit by theft:

If whoever stole the figure thought it was unsightly and wanted it taken down sooner than later, they probably should’ve waited a few days, according to Bob Fessler, vice president of the ad agency behind the billboards:

Ironically, the players were scheduled to be taken down and stored away. They are scheduled to be placed back on the billboards at the end of baseball season.

Two have already been taken down. Fessler said they are waiting to hear from the advertising agency that created the campaign to find out what to do next.

It was a bummer for the people who worked hard to make that billboard, and a bummer for Kansas City residents who were stuck with a very boring photo of a wall. “Hey, Kansas City, here’s a wall from Kauffman Stadium,” the billboard is basically said. “Just a wall. Nothing special happening here. Have a good day.”