Gasoline drive off uncovers stolen pickup
Published 10:11 am Monday, April 20, 2015
Two Hayfield residents are in jail after they allegedly stole a pickup truck and drove off without paying for gas over the weekend.
Austin Police Captain Dave McKichan said a 23-year-old man and a 34-year-old woman were arrested after police stopped their stolen car Saturday on County Road 20 about two miles north of County Road 2.
A homeowner reported the truck, a 1992 Ford pickup, was stolen between 11:30 p.m. Friday and 7 a.m. Saturday. In addition, Reed’s Fourth Avenue reported the truck drove off without paying for $89.32 worth of gas at about 10:45 a.m.
Officers arrested both suspects and found methamphetamine pipes and a small amount of what police believe is heroin inside the vehicle. The truck had no license plates at the time, as the suspects allegedly took off the plates to hide them under the driver’s seat. Police matched the car’s VIN number to the homeowner’s records.
The suspects were taken to Mower County jail pending formal charges. The homeowner’s truck was cleaned and returned, according to McKichan.