CEDAR RAPIDS — A Northern Iowa man who stole a pickup truck, swiped a forklift, ripped off an ATM and then led police on a 46-mile high-speed chase has pleaded guilty in federal court.
John Fitzgerald Bennett, 56, of Gilbertville, Iowa, was convicted of one count of credit union larceny after entering a guilty plea in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
According to federal prosecutors, Bennett admitted that on May 3, 2025, he stole a pickup truck from a home in Waterloo before driving it to a parking lot in Cedar Falls. From there, Bennett walked to a nearby construction site and stole a forklift.
Authorities say Bennett then drove the forklift to a Cedar Falls credit union and tried to use it to lift an interactive teller machine off the ground. The machine tipped over, and Bennett was unable to maneuver the forklift well enough to steal it.
But prosecutors say Bennett did not stop there.
He allegedly drove the forklift farther down the street to a second credit union, where he successfully used it to steal an ATM. Bennett then hauled the ATM with the forklift back to the parking lot where he had stashed the stolen pickup truck, loaded the machine into the back of the truck and drove away.
Law enforcement officers responded to alarms from both credit unions and soon found Bennett in the stolen pickup truck. Instead of stopping, Bennett fled.
Federal prosecutors say Bennett led officers on a chase lasting about 40 minutes and covering 46 miles, including on Interstate 380. During the pursuit, Bennett reached speeds of 100 mph in a 65-mph zone.
Officers eventually deployed multiple sets of stop sticks, deflating most of the truck’s tires. The chase finally ended after the vehicle was so damaged it could no longer move. By the time the truck stopped, prosecutors said the tires were gone and the tire rims and running boards were resting on the ground.
The stolen ATM was found in the back of the truck.
Bennett has a prior federal conviction for credit union burglary and aiding and abetting, as well as credit union larceny and aiding and abetting, prosecutors said.
Sentencing will be scheduled after a presentence report is prepared. Bennett remains in the custody of the United States Marshal.
He faces up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release after any prison term.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake. The Cedar Falls Police Department, Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office, Waterloo Police Department and FBI investigated the case.