Police in New York are searching for a former rental car employee accused of taking nearly 50 vehicles worth more than $1 million from Syracuse Hancock International Airport. Investigators say 31-year-old Milton Thompson III, a former Avis Budget employee, orchestrated the scheme over roughly two months earlier this year.
An Inside Job at the Airport Lot
According to investigators, Thompson worked at Avis Budget’s airport location while allegedly taking vehicles directly from the company’s fleet between June and August. Authorities allege he then rented the vehicles out privately to customers across Onondaga County, effectively running an unauthorized side business using stolen inventory.
How the Scheme Unraveled
The alleged scheme came to light after Avis noticed a significant portion of its fleet was unaccounted for. A subsequent investigation revealed what police describe as a coordinated operation rather than a single theft. So far, 42 of the 47 vehicles have been recovered, while several remain missing.
Charges and Ongoing Investigation
Thompson now faces grand larceny and fraud charges and has been named on Syracuse’s most-wanted list, though he has not yet been apprehended. Investigators have not disclosed exactly how the alleged scheme went undetected for months, but the investigation has already led to the identification of additional suspects believed to be connected to the case.
Airport police say they continue to search for Thompson and the remaining vehicles, and are asking anyone with information about the missing cars to come forward.
A Reminder of Rental Fleet Vulnerabilities
The case highlights how vulnerable rental car operations can be when an employee with inside access decides to exploit it. Even with most of the vehicles recovered, investigators are still working to determine exactly how a single employee was able to run an unauthorized rental operation out of an airport lot for as long as he allegedly did before it was discovered.