Bold Thieves Find Box Truck Full Of Used Tires, Steal $5 Instead: Police

NASHVILLE, TN — Metro Police arrested two people suspected of tricking a box truck driver and robbing him and his passenger.

According to an affidavit, a man was driving a box truck on Interstate 65 South Saturday when Timothy Preston and Thelma Travillion, travelling in a passing pick-up, caught his attention and motioned him to pull over. The driver, who had a passenger alongside, thinking that perhaps his rear door had come open, stopped on the Old Hickory Boulevard exit and says that Preston and Travillian stopped their pick-up truck in front of him.

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The victim said the couple attached their truck's tow hitch to the box truck to immobilize it and, with Travillion posted as a lookout, Preston approached the man with his hand in his pocket, claiming to have "a piece" and ordering the driver to open the box truck.

Disappointed that instead of valuable loot the box truck was just hauling a load of used tires, Preston allegedly took the victims cell phones and all the cash they were holding: $5. Travillion followed up by asking if, perhaps, they had more than $5 somewhere else, according to the complaint.

The victims called police, who were able to track down Preston and Travillion, who allegedly admitted to the heist. Both are charged with two counts of aggravated robbery and vehicle theft.

Images via Metro Nashville Police