Tyre Lover, Allegedly Driven by Desire, Steals Wheels

A North Platte, Nebraska man stands accused of committing an unusual, though perhaps understandable, crime of passion; stealing not the heart of a married woman, but the tyres and rims with which he supposedly “fell so much in love.”

Local news source the North Platte Bulletin describes the courtship of a set of four Hankook tyres mounted on Pacer rims (be still, thine heavy-beating heart, dear reader) by area man, Anthony L Bennett. Witnesses at the TO Haas Tires dealership told investigators looking into the theft that Bennett had been to the store several times to view the wheels. It was clear, they say, that he was something of an admirer. Indeed, the day before the burglary, Bennett had workers at the store fit them to his vehicle, telling them he would return to make them his own. They weren’t to know that he would not (allegedly) be paying for them… except – perhaps – with his freedom.

This love story for the ages was given a tragic climax when police in nearby Crawford spotted the purloined wheels on Bennett’s blue Chevrolet pickup, parked brazenly outside his house. If proven guilty, Bennett could face a jail sentence of up to five years and – worse – be estranged from his beloved wheels.