SHAWNEE, Kan. — A thief stole much more than a pickup truck in a crime reported on Friday morning.
The theft was reported along Oak Ridge Drive when Rich Maxwell noticed his truck was missing from the driveway.
For Maxwell, who works as a special instructor for elementary school students in the area, the crime was made worse due to the truck's contents.
“I had everything I own in the truck, because I wanted to show it off,” he said. “Maybe a half-hour later, it started sinking in about all my marbles. Everything is in the truck.”
Maxwell's love of marbles isn't hard to see — from a special track built by a third-grader on display at his home to the multiple bags and special boxes of marbles that he can identify by name.
Any topic on the subject elicits a smile, including the different types of marbles.
“That’s called a galaxy,” he said, pointing to a shiny bluish-green marble. “You can’t hardly look at one that isn’t beautiful.”
Maxwell has loved marbles since his childhood. The hobby later became a passion and has made him a popular figure for the children he speaks to inside classrooms.
For Maxwell, the marbles, tracks and designs all serve an important purpose.
“The marble is a creative STEM activity,” he said. “I can show them kinetic energy. I can show them acceleration.”
Maxwell showed 41 Action News pictures of the various marbles that he stored inside the truck.
With police are investigating the case, he hoped he would see both the truck and cherished items inside once again.
“It’s terrible, because I spent the whole summer stockpiling and putting stuff together,” Maxwell said. “We hope it comes back.”
