I have heard about the kidnapping of dogs. A recent dognapping case ended up with a $10,000 ransom being paid.

I have heard about a lobster being held for ransom. That was a case of using the release of an unusually large lobster to solicit donations for a food pantry.

But I have never, until now, heard about someone in Lincoln, Nebraska holding a Mr. Coffee machine for ransom. It's a wonderfully novel idea. It's also quite seriously strange.

Apparently, they have always taken great pride in doing things a little bit differently in Nebraska. It's the home of the prairie wind wagon, the world's largest stamp ball, and Andy the footless goose. He also was kidnapped, but unfortunately he never made it home alive.
In keeping with the Nebraska tradition of oddities, Kyra R. Kinkade allegedly took her niece's coffee maker and held it for $48 ransom.

The blurb from JournalStar.com states that Kinkade had house-sat in her niece's residence for a week. The niece returned home to find her coffee maker had gone missing. It seems that Auntie Kyra is demanding payment for her house watching services, and she allegedly absconded with the Mr. Coffee machine as leverage for receiving payment of her fee. How very Nebraskan of her.

According to the report, Kinkade has been cited on suspicion of misdemeanor larceny. They do take their coffee maker kidnappings seriously in Nebraska.