Beloved ‘Star Wars’ vending machine pops up thousands of miles from where it was stolen
Somehow, the “Star Wars” Pepsi machine has returned.
The beloved vending machine themed after “Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace” has reappeared in Los Angeles, California, after vanishing from its regular spot outside a fire department in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was replaced with a crude artistic interpretation of the original.
Now, the original machine has reappeared more than 2,400 miles away from its home. This is the first time the machine has been seen in public since it vanished in August.
Hearst Owned
Side-by-side comparison of the original vending machine and its replacement
Related video above: An iconic 1999 “Star Wars: The Phantom Menace” vending machine has gone missing in Pittsburgh
Content creator Braeden Days took the machine from its home in the Mount Washington community of Pittsburgh, claiming that he had permission to take it and that he’d return it after making repairs.
Days posted a video of the machine on the back of a flatbed truck being driven around LA to his Instagram feed. Days said the stunt was in celebration of this week’s grand opening of the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art from “Star Wars” creator George Lucas, who has been developing the museum for years.
“The iconic Star Wars Episode I – The Phantom Menace vending machine that THOUSANDS of Star Wars fans know and love journeyed 2,429 miles from Fire Station 27 all the way to the grand opening of the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in Los Angeles, California,” Days said in his post. “Without a doubt this is one of the most important days for Star Wars fans around the world, and it was absolutely awesome to showcase this vending machine to other fans at the grand opening.”
The vanishing of the vending machine — which Days has referred to as a “heist” in a series of videos chronicling his efforts to steal it — sparked backlash in Pittsburgh, where the machine has lived since the movie’s release in 1999. Days was arrested in April 2026 for a similar social media stunt in which he stole a dinosaur statue in LA.
Days claims “the machine is being repaired and returned to its original location next month” and said more information will be revealed soon.
It remains to be seen if Days will face legal repercussions in Pennsylvania for the theft.