Police in Syracuse, NY are on the hunt for a former Avis Budget Car Rental employee accused of stealing 47 cars from the company’s airport location—and allegedly doing something unusual with them. According to reports, the suspect rented the stolen vehicles out himself to customers in the Central New York area.
The man, 31-year-old Milton W. Thompson III of Syracuse, is accused of taking the cars between June and August this year. The vehicles, valued at around $1 million, were taken from Syracuse Hancock International Airport.
A spokesperson for the Syracuse Regional Airport Authority said Thompson had “inside knowledge” of how the rental operation worked, which allowed him to pull off the heist. Police have not released details on exactly how the cars were stolen.
So far, 42 of the 47 stolen vehicles have been recovered. Several people have also been arrested and charged with unlawful use of a vehicle, but Thompson remains at large. He faces charges including second-degree grand larceny and first-degree scheme to defraud—serious felonies in New York State.
Authorities are asking the public for help in locating Thompson. Anyone with information is urged to contact the airport police department at (315) 455-3500 or via email at PD_Supervisor@sraapd.org.
While stolen cars at airports aren’t unheard of—from luxury sports cars to everyday pickups—this case stands out. Nearly four dozen rental cars from the same location allegedly being stolen and then rented out by the thief in the same area is not something you see every day.
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Thieves get more foolish daily