Stolen pig statue returned to Spring Lake restaurant

SPRING LAKE, North Carolina (WTVD) -- UPDATE: Bennie Bryant Jr. announced Thursday night that the pig has been returned to his "rightful place!" Bryant told ABC11 that the person who took him has returned his cherished pig statue.

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A pig statue is missing from a Spring Lake restaurant. The owner of Saucy Wings reached out to ABC11 on Facebook to send a message to the person who took him.

While Bennie Bryant Jr. might know where the pig is, he wants to give the person who took it a chance to return it.

The little piggy once greeted Saucy Wings customers.

That little piggy went missing some time after Tuesday night.

That little piggy didn't go wee, wee, wee, and now he's definitely not home.

Now, only pig tracks remain.

"I do, you know, hope that you find it in your heart to return the pig," Bryant said, sending a message to the thief. "I'm a veteran of the United States Army, and I've served my country, and the least that I desire is for someone to take from us, so please free the pig."

The statue that sat in front of the Bragg Boulevard restaurant is around 6 feet tall and weighs several hundred pounds, according to Bryant.

It's served as a symbol of the restaurant, as folks would snap away selfies with Mr. Saucy.

"We just want our pig back," Saucy Wings employee, Keshia Stephens said. "Our pig was standing out there, waving at everybody, saying hi. We just want our pig."

While Bryant said they received an anonymous tip that their prized- pig is hidden away in a local garage. He said he wants to give this person the opportunity to do the right thing.

"You have taken a very valuable piece from us. The pig may not mean that much to you but it means a whole lot to us, Bryant said.

"If you could, just bring the statue back. We'll certainly be happy, and we can meet you and pick up the pig. It really doesn't matter just as long as we get the pig back," he added.