Thousands of Pittsburgh Penguins bobbleheads stolen before free giveaway

PITTSBURGH, Pa. (WKBN) - Thousands of bobbleheads, intended for a free giveaway to fans, have been stolen, according to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The NHL team announced on social media the shipment carrying bobbleheads of Jaromír Jágr for Thursday's game against the San Jose Sharks had been stolen after its arrival in California.

The Penguins learned from authorities that they were victims of cargo theft, saying they worked with the manufacturer and transportation companies to alert the appropriate state and federal authorities as they are currently working to locate the bobbleheads.

The team said this is an open investigation and that no further comment will be made.

"All fans in attendance will receive a voucher that includes a one-time scannable barcode that will be required to pick up the bobblehead at a later date," the Penguins wrote on social media. "Location and dates for pickup will be shared when the items are safely located or new bobbleheads are produced and available for distribution."

In a statement, Kevin Acklin, the franchise's president of business operations, said the "unfortunate incident adds to the legend of Jaromir Jagr" and that the team looks "forward to resolving this theft and delivering the prized Jagr bobbleheads to their rightful homes, with our fans."

In another social media post Thursday afternoon, the Penguins shared a video titled "Jaromir Jagr is on the Case." Jagr is seen behind the wheel of a car, buckling in one of his bobbleheads as he says, "Let's go find your friends."

The team retired Jágr's No. 68 during a pregame ceremony last month. The 52-year-old Jágr, the NHL's second all-time leading scorer, remains an active player on the team he owns in his native Czech Republic.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.