Rental Car Thefts: Two Women Get Caught Up in Schemes
In one case last week, a woman was trying to pay off her drug dealer by letting him test drive her rental car, and another thought she was on a romantic movie date … but both ‘got duped.’
In two separate — and odd — car rental thefts last week, two women were handed the raw end of rental car theft schemes. In one case, a Philadelphia woman was trying to pay off her drug dealer by letting him test drive her rental car, and then another woman in Tampa, Fla., thought she was on a romantic movie date … but, unfortunately, both women ‘got duped.’
According to www.phillyblurbs.com, a woman was accused of stealing a rental car in order to give to her drug dealer to pay off a debt. Her lawyer said, however, that the woman’s debt was only less than $500 and that she was only letting him use the car for a couple hours. The drug dealer never returned with the vehicle.
The woman faces several felony charges including theft, and is also being charged with conspiracy for allegedly planning the theft with her drug dealer since she initially misled police about the theft. Her lawyer responded, “She was embarrassed that she was duped. She stayed there, waiting for the car to be returned. Fifteen minutes after it wasn’t, she called police.”
Click on the below URL for the full story from www.phillyblurbs.com:
http://www.phillyburbs.com/news/local/courier_times_news/cops-woman-paid-off-drug-debt-with-rental-car/article_b1ed1ff6-a31d-5278-9e08-d6f637595681.html
In the Tampa, Fla. Case, a woman was on a movie date but was abandoned halfway through. The man, Michael Pratt, 27, told the woman that he needed to get something out of the car, so she handed him the keys.
When he didn’t return she decided to call him, but she wasn’t welcomed with a very warm greeting. The woman said Pratt laughed at her, and then said “I’ve stolen your car,” and hung up. After two days of trying to get ahold of him on her own, she called the police.
Pratt returned the car to the woman two days after she contacted the police and was subsequently arrested for grand theft.
Click on this URL for the full article from www.dailymail.co.uk:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2075147/Michael-Pratt-takes-girl-cinema-slips-mid-film-steal-car.html?ito=feeds-newsxml
More Rental Operations

Sixt Revenue Tops $2.4 Billion in First Half of 2026
Sixt’s first-half revenue surpassed $2.4 billion for the first time as demand outpaced fleet growth, lifting utilization and earnings despite weaker consumer sentiment in North America.
Read More →
In Memoriam: Bobby Klyce, Avis Licensee Legend
The longtime Birmingham Avis operator and 2018 Auto Rental News Impact Award recipient was remembered as an advocate for independent licensees and the broader car rental industry.
Read More →How to Build Custom Fleet Tools With AI and Vibe Coding [Webinar]
A new Automotive Fleet webinar explores how fleet managers are using AI and vibe coding to automate routine work and create simple operational tools without traditional programming skills.
Read More →
Car Rental Rates Forecast to Rise 3.6% in 2026 Before Easing in 2027
Car rental rates are projected to rise less than airfares and hotel rates in 2026, then become the only major travel category forecast to decline in 2027, according to projections from GBTA and ALTOUR.
Read More →
Avis Cuts Fleet as Summer Demand Trails Expectations
Avis Budget Group increased second-quarter earnings despite lower Americas revenue and softer-than-expected summer demand. The company also expanded Avis First and advanced its autonomous fleet operations with Waymo.
Read More →
Why Bookings Are Only the Start of the Rental Day
A reservation captures demand. The operating test is whether the business can keep the customer, vehicle, commercial terms, and next action aligned until the rental is closed.
Read More →
This Is the Oldest Car Rental Advertisement You’ll Ever See
This ad for Saunders Drive it Yourself, believed to be the first car rental company in the U.S., was found in an Omaha phone book from 1926.
Read More →
The Desk Upsell Is Costing Operators More Than it Earns
Counter upsells generate revenue, but they can also slow transactions, erode trust, and cost repeat business. Fully inclusive pricing may offer operators a better path to long-term value.
Read More →
U-Save Expands Indian Ocean Presence with New Master Franchise for Mauritius
The franchise has been acquired by Mauritian travel entrepreneur Umarfarooq Omarjee, an established figure in the island's tourism and mobility sector.
Read More →
Global Carsharing Fleet Projected to Reach 768,000 Vehicles By 2030
A new Berg Insight forecast outlines several business models driving the projected growth in public carsharing worldwide through 2029.
Read More →
