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
Palm Beach Airport Code Change Creates Car Rental Distribution Gap
A test of rental searches under the old PBI and new DJT airport codes returned largely different sets of brands and vehicles, highlighting a potential distribution problem for rental operators.
Read More →
U-Save Continues Dominican Republic Expansion with Launch in Punta Cana
The new franchise location builds on U-Save’s existing Santo Domingo operation and will begin taking reservations for October 2026.
Read More →
When AI Books the Rental Car, Who Controls the Sale?
As AI moves from comparing rental rates to completing transactions, operators need to understand how travelers find, interpret, rank, and ultimately see their offers. (Part 2 of 2.)
Read More →
European Booked Car Rental Rates Fell 5%, Results Varied by Country
Ireland, Cyprus, and the United Kingdom saw steep declines, while booked rates rose in Poland and Hungary.
Read More →
Is It Time to Rethink Rental Categories?
As traditional economy and compact cars disappear from the market, longtime rental operator Mike DeLorenzo asks whether the industry’s familiar vehicle categories still make sense — and what operators need to rethink along with them.
Read More →
Who Owns the Rate? AI Is Creating a New Distribution Problem for Car Rental
Generative Engine Optimization asks whether AI can find a rental company, but operators also need to know whether the agent inspected enough of the market, compared equivalent offers, and presented a rate the traveler can actually book. (Part 1 of 2)
Read More →
U.S. Business Travel Car Rental Rates Forecast to Rise Up to 2%
Improved fleet supply should limit pricing gains in 2026-27, while insurance, repair costs, and softer residual values continue to pressure rental operations, according to Amex GBT.
Read More →
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 →