Lincoln Police were called to Bauer Built Tire at 7800 N 56th Street at 2 p.m. on October 7th to investigate a fraudulent transaction. Employees stated Capitol One notified them that transactions made the day before for 16 truck tires were fraudulent. The employee indicated that the transactions were made under a trucking business and a man came in twice that day to pick up two sets of 8 tires. Employees were able to provide officers with a description of the man who picked up the tires. The total fraud loss was estimated at $8,800.
As officers were investigating this case, Fremont Police Department indicated they had a man, 22 year old Roderick Phelps from Texas in custody regarding a similar fraud that occurred on October 14th in their jurisdiction. Fremont Police located the tires that had been purchased at Bauer Built in Lincoln and a receipt for a $3,500 in tires purchased at Graham Tire at 2121 Cornhusker Hwy in Lincoln on October 7th. Employees at Graham Tire were contacted and remembered the transaction as well. In each incident, the employees described the same man and the same grey Dodge Ram Crew Cab Pickup were involved. Employees also identified Phelps as the same person involved in the frauds in Lincoln based on photos from the Fremont case.
However, Phelps had bonded out on the Fremont charges before investigators could arrest him for these cases. There are active warrants for Theft by Deception including one felony charge at this time. Anyone with information about Phelps whereabouts is encouraged to call Lincoln Police at 402-441-6000 or Crime Stoppers at 402-475-3600.