by Angela Russell

Created on: November 18, 2007

Thieves made off with a newspaper box in the early hours of Tuesday morning. Employees at Johnson's Market, located in Vanleer ,Tennessee, discovered they had been robbed during the night. The only item take was a newspaper box, according to clerk, Angela who works the morning shift.

Customers arrived at the store for their morning coffee and breakfast biscuit to see crime scene tape and a detective cruiser. The scene resembled a taped off murder scene on television. This writer asked for details about the display of crime scene tape. Clerk, Angela, gave a sheepish look and appeared embarrassed when she replied, "Somebody stole our newspaper box." When asked why the crime scene tape and big display, no one could give an answer.

I asked why someone would commit such a strange crime and no one could come up with an answer. We tossed around ideas of it being a prank or just an example of our redneck neighborhood. Though, no definite answer could be found. The newspaper contained in the box, The Dickson Herald, is issued only on Wednesdays and Fridays. The box could have contained no more than ten dollars in quarters, if that much.

Police are investigating to determine what really happened to the newspaper box. Johnson's Market does have a video surveillance system, though it is unclear at this time whether the crime was caught on tape. Employees are having a chuckle over this theft, though they are thankful that nothing else was taken.

Vanleer, is a very small town located in Dickson County, about an hour and a half west of Nashville. Vanleer has a very low crime rate. While this is big news for a small town, many residents are getting a chuckle from the big crime event in the city limits.

Clerks and shoppers alike make jokes and snide remarks this morning as we discussed the reasons why a person would steal a newspaper box. One particular shopper in the store this morning suggested that clerks make a call to the America's Dumbest Criminals television show. He was certain this would make the cut. For now, the newspaper box is missing and the thief has stolen the headlines!

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