Police at a Syracuse, New York, airport are looking for a former employee at a car rental center accused of stealing 47 autos and renting them out.
The Syracuse Regional Airport Authority Police Department said suspect Milton W. Thompson III, 31, stole the autos from Avis Budget Car Rental at the city’s Hancock International Airport between June and August.
Police allege that Mr. Thompson’s “inside knowledge” as an employee helped him steal the cars from the center, an airport authority spokesperson said, according to Syracuse’s Post-Standard.
Mr. Thompson is also accused of renting out the stolen cars, worth over $1 million, reported the newspaper.
Police have not yet found or arrested Mr. Thompson. He’s charged with two felonies, second-degree grand larceny and first-degree scheming to defraud, according to Syracuse’s WSYR-TV.
Several other people, whom police have not publicly identified, are facing charges of unlawful use of a motor vehicle in connection to the alleged scheme, according to another Syracuse station, WSTM-TV.
So far, 42 of the 47 missing cars have been recovered.
Avis Budget said it was aware of the allegations against Mr. Thompson and that the company is cooperating with airport police, according to The Associated Press.
