State police at the Frackville barracks are investigating the theft of a tractor-loader backhoe off a trailer that was left on Interstate 81 in Mahanoy Township while the operator of a rig that hauled it went to get a flat tire fixed.

The theft happened between 1:30 and 3 a.m. Dec. 21 when the driver pulled the rig to the right shoulder of the roadway

Police said he unhooked the trailer with the backhoe on it and went to get a new tire.

When he returned about 90 minutes later, the 2013 Kubota BX 25 4-x-4 with a backhoe and loader attachments was stolen.