Police Investigate Bathtub Theft in Two Separate States
Yes, people actually steal bathtubs and sometimes they get in stuck in mud while doing so. Rub-a-dub-dub.
The town of High Ridge, Missouri, located in Jefferson County, has a problem with bathtub thieves. Police are currently investigating a string of bathtub robberies from area construction sites.
According to investigators, the bathtub thieves have also stolen other items in addition to the whirlpool tub, including an arched window and various tools from a residential property on Arkansas Drive. Police suspect the only person or persons who would even care to steal a bathtub is someone who is familiar with the bathtub install process.
“Unfortunately this is the case in just about all trades,” says J. Branham Jarrell, President, Georgia Tub & Tile. “In the construction industry keeping costs low is key. And while there is always the possibility that someone directly in the industry would do something dishonest, there are plenty if thieves who will steal whatever they figure will bring them the most money while saving their buyer money. I personally advise being weary of anyone offering products at a cut rate. You can’t trust where it came from and it may ultimately end up costing you more.”
The investigation is ongoing, with hopes that a suspect or suspects will be taken into custody soon.
Authorities had more luck when it came to a bathtub theft incident in Kingsport, Tennessee.
Last week, a 27-year-old man, Adam J. McClellan of 3229 Brownlow Road was arrested and charged with theft over $500 after he attempted to steal a large, claw-foot cast iron bathtub. McClellan was caught red-handed after his Ford pickup truck became stuck in the mud a short distance from the crime scene.
Local police received a tip regarding suspicious activity, including what appeared to be an individual stealing property from a barn. When officers arrived on the scene, they found McClellan in a sticky situation. McClellan and his pickup truck, brimming with other stolen items in addition to the bathtub, were stuck in a patch of deep mud.
Police suspect that McClellan, who was transported to Kingsport City Jail, came to the barn without the owner’s knowledge or consent in order to scavenge scrap metal which he planned later to sell. After hoisting several items into his vehicle, McClellan’s spotted the cast iron tub. He was in the process of towing the cumbersome, heavy tub out of the barn when his truck lost traction in the mud and become stuck.
