Police Investigate Maltese Falcon Replica Burglary

Feb. 12 - KGO (KGO) -- Somebody stole what Sam Spade called, "the stuff that dreams are made of." Now real detectives are looking for the Maltese Falcon, the black bird of movie and novel legend. It's a tale of fact following fiction.

It is probably the most famous bird in hard-boiled detective fiction. "The Maltese Falcon" from the pen of San Francisco writer Dashiel Hammett.

John's Grill was a Hammett favorite, and it made Hammett's San Francisco connection by displaying a reproduction of the film's statue, along with Hammett memorabilia in a case -- that is until someone jimmied it open over the weekend and made off with the bird and about a dozen books including a Maltese Falcon autographed original.

John Konstin, John's Grill: "Gifts that have been given to us over the years which we consider priceless because a lot of the people are gone."

The falcon original used in the movie is worth more than $2 million dollars and is held by a collector. John's Grill got the copy about 13 years ago.

John Konstin, John's Grill: "It was given to us by someone involved with the movie itself."

John's Grill will be 100 years old next year. The Hammett memorabilia speak volumes about John's Grill significance in history.

Hammett worked in the fFood building and then would walk next door to eat at John's Grill and to eat and create the stuff that dreams are made of.

John Konstin, John's Grill: "We're going to offer a $25,000 dollar reward for everything back to us."

It's like a part of the restaurant's soul has been taken.

John Konstin, John's Grill: "The historical value and literary value we've lost."

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