The whole situation around the supposed theft of Ram’s Bucking Hemi mechanical bull is absolutely bizarre. We were skeptical of the theft claims because Ram was making such a big deal about it, even issuing a press release and reward poster – it smelled like a marketing campaign. Now it seems the automaker might be facing legal consequences for the theft claim.
Ford Mach-E appears to drive out of control in scary video.
If you missed the whole soap opera episode this past week, here’s the summary. Ram had a $34,000 mechanical pull made to look like its new Hemi logo for people to ride during Roadkill Nights last weekend.
But on Tuesday, Ram said it was missing and was believed to have been stolen. Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis even made a statement about the theft, saying, "This is bull****. Our Bucking HEMI was taken on Saturday evening. The search is officially on, and we won't stop searching until we get him back."
Sheriff Michael Bouchard from Oakland County, Michigan thinks the whole situation stinks. After all, the Bucking Hemi weighs several hundred pounds and is huge, so it’s not something you steal inconspicuously at an event attended by thousands.
In fact, Sheriff Bouchard seems to be about done with Ram’s marketing antics, saying the theft claim is "very frustrating and a tremendous waste of valuable investigative time." He’s so fired up he said his office is going to "see if a crime was committed by the filing of a false police report."
But Ram is maintaining the Bucking Hemi really was stolen. Some car sites have thrown around the theory Ford was behind the theft, like one frat house taking another’s trophy or mascot or some other nonsense.
A Ram spokesman said a contractor who was hired to help with setting up and tearing down the Roadkill Nights displays said he had the Bucking Hemi after seeing reports about it being stolen. Why the guy would think he could just take it isn’t clear.
Like we said, something has felt off about this story from the beginning. If the supposed theft really was a marketing stunt, it was a dumb one. Unfortunately, with all the media attention it garnered, it also worked. But Ram might be facing some legal consequences, which it will probably write off as a cost of doing business.
Source: The Detroit News
Images via Stellantis
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