J.C. Penney removes offending 'Hitler tea kettle' billboard after complaints about the product's likeness to the dictator go viral



The huge billboard over 405 Interstate Highway in California has been removed



Commuters claimed the kettle bore a striking resemblance to the Nazi leader

The product sold out in a matter of hours after becoming an internet hit



Taken down: Customers had complained that the J.C. Penny kettle on a billboard near the 405 Interstate looked like Hitler

J.C. Penney will be hoping that the embarrassing furore surrounding its tea kettle that bears a striking resemblance to Adolf Hitler will blow over now it has removed a billboard advertising the product and removed the item from its website.



The billboard near the 405 freeway in Culver City, California was taken down Wednesday.



After a string of customers complained the Michael Graves Stainless Steel Tea Kettle resembled the World War II dictator, the retailer was forced to deny any intentional link.

On Tuesday the company made it clear that any resemblance was completely 'unintentional'.



'If we had designed it to look like something, we would have gone with a snowman or something fun,' the store tweeted.

The $40 product was also taken down from the company's website as of Thursday.



The item had already sold-out after becoming an internet sensation and several have already shown up on eBay, where sellers have listed them for as much as $160, reports Today .

Commuters driving along the route near Culver City found themselves instantly reminded of the Nazi leader Adolf Hitler when looking up at one of the 31 kettles previously for sale in store.

Several motorists took pictures of the sign, which is around 10 foot tall and 36 foot wide, and posted it on Twitter along with their views about the kettle's resemblance to the former dictator.

