A Manning man was taken into custody over the weekend following a Crawford County Sheriff’s Office investigation into a report of a stolen tractor in late December. Sheriff, Jim Steinkuehler, says 36-year-old Tyler DuWayne Leitz of rural Manning was arrested Sunday for first-degree theft, a class C felony, for allegedly stealing a 1976 John Deere 4030 from a farm in the 1700 block of H Avenue near Charter Oak. Law enforcement received a tip that the missing tractor was on Leitz’s property in the 2800 block of 390th Street. Authorities located the partially disassembled tractor in a shed with the serial numbers scratched off and the ID tag removed. Leitz told officers he had purchased the $18,000 tractor for $1,000 from an unidentified male on Jan. 6. Further investigation revealed Leitz was unable to provide any additional information about the supposed seller. In addition to its monetary value, the tractor also held sentimental value to the owners as it was their father’s first tractor. Leitz’s initial appearance has been scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 19. A class C felony in Iowa carries a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison and $10,000 in fines.
