Maltese Falcon stolen

The owner of a San Francisco landmark restaurant is offering $25,000 to any amateur Sam Spade who can track down a replica of the famed Maltese Falcon.

John's Grill, a century-old restaurant and home to a museum dedicated to detective novel author Dashiell Hammett, became a crime scene Monday after workers noticed over the weekend that the statuette and 15 rare books by and about Hammett had been stolen.

Officers arrived Monday to interview the restaurant's owner, John Konstin, who is pretty steamed up about the falcon's disappearance.

"There's a lot of crazy Hammett nuts," Konstin said. "The replica from John's Grill is worth something to someone."

Waiters at the 63 Ellis St. restaurant noticed the bird was missing Saturday night. Konstin believes the thief jimmied the latch on the glass display case that contained the statuette.

"The falcon has sentimental value to San Franciscans and Hammett lovers," Konstin said.