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Illinois Woman Arrested for Stealing a Dump Truck — And Claimed It Was to Start a Side Hustle A 27-year-old Evansville woman was arrested after police say she tried to take off with the vehicle.

By Jonathan Small

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

She says she did it for her side hustle — but no one is entirely sure what that side hustle is.

Destiny C. Bretz, a 27-year-old Evansville, Illinois woman, was arrested for attempting to steal a yellow dump truck in broad daylight.

Related: 3 Secrets to Starting a High-Income Side Hustle in 2024, According to People Whose Gigs Make More Than $20,000 a Month

Vanderburgh Sheriff Office

According to witnesses, Bretz hijacked a truck with a flatbed trailer carrying a John Deere backhoe. When a man in a nearby truck saw the theft, he pulled his vehicle in front of her and yelled for help. At that point, another witness pulled their vehicle behind the dump truck, completely boxing in Bretz, according to local outlet WFIE.

When the cops arrived at the scene, they found Bretz standing near the yellow dump truck with the person who had called 911. She informed them that she had stolen the truck to jumpstart a "side business," but the police did not specify exactly what that was.

Bretz was on parole for a previous theft charge in Evansville and had also pled guilty to tampering with a motor vehicle in Missouri. She was arrested and booked into the Vanderburgh County jail without bond.

Related: An iPhone Thief Stole Up to $2 Million By Watching People Type Their Passcodes. Here's How to Protect Yourself.

Jonathan Small

Entrepreneur Leadership Network® VIP

Founder, Write About Now Media

Jonathan Small is an award-winning author, journalist, producer, and podcast host. For 25 years, he has worked as a sought-after storyteller for top media companies such as The New York Times, Hearst, Entrepreneur, and Condé Nast. He has held executive roles at Glamour, Fitness, and Entrepreneur and regularly contributes to The New York Times, TV Guide, Cosmo, Details, Maxim, and Good Housekeeping. He is the former “Jake” advice columnist for Glamour magazine and the “Guy Guru” at Cosmo.

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