Pigeons sought in Maltese Falcon theft

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 13 (UPI) -- "There's only one Maltese Falcon," said Sydney Greenstreet, but the replica stolen from a San Francisco joint is as valuable to its owner as the real deal.

Author Dashiell Hammett used to eat at John's Grill and placed Sam Spade at John Konstin's diner in his novel. Later, Humphrey Bogart chowed there on "chops, baked potato, sliced tomato" in the film version of "The Maltese Falcon."

Konstin told the San Francisco Chronicle he tried to buy the real Maltese Falcon for his shrine to the 1930 novel and 1941 film but wound up with a plaster replica given to him in 1995 by Elisha Cook Jr., who played Wilmer Cook in the silver screen version.

The bird disappeared from a shrine in the eatery during the weekend along with a stack of books signed by Hammet, Konstin told the Chronicle.

Konstin has offered a $25,000 reward for the goods, "no questions asked."

He also has a private dick on the case.

Hot on the trail, investigator Jack Immendorf told the San Jose Mercury News he already has a couple of tips.

Wednesday is the 77th anniversary of the publication of "The Maltese Falcon."