Bathtub Tyre Fugitive Apprehended

A thief hoping for a ‘clean getaway’ by stashing a set of stolen tyres in a hotel room bathtub has had the plug pulled on his criminal activities. According to the online edition of Southeast Arkansas, US newspaper the Pine Bluff Commercial, four tyres and rims stolen from a vehicle parked at a car dealership were found in a room rented by local man, 34-year old Michael Thompson.

Whether Thompson planned to sell the stolen tyres and rims, valued at US$3,000, or if he merely booked the motel room to enjoy a few hours’ time alone with his circular companions is not made entirely clear by the news information at hand. However, when police became aware of the tyres’ hotel sojourn they visited the premises, where they found they hotel room door open following Thompson’s flight from the scene. According to case prosecutor Cymber Gieringer, police could see one tyre in ‘plain view’ within Thompson’s room, while the other three were nestled together in the bathtub.

Following his arrest, Thompson was released from custody on a $10,000 bond after ruling prosecutors found probable cause to charge him with theft by receiving. It is believed that the tyres were returned to their rightful owner exhausted from the ordeal yet somewhat relaxed after their time in the tub.