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Hertz customers claim they were arrested, jailed and even held at gunpoint after false theft reports

Hertz customers claim they were arrested, jailed and even held at gunpoint after false theft reports

Extra folks have come ahead to claim they were accused, arrested or even jailed after Hertz reported automobiles they had legitimately rented were stolen.  

Carrie Gibbs was arrested at a California fuel station in 2019 after Hertz instructed police she’d stolen the truck. 
    
The truck had been rented for her from Hertz by an insurance coverage firm after an accident, however police took her to jail, and she was charged with felony automobile theft.   

The case was later dismissed however Gibbs stated in courtroom papers she misplaced her actual property license for a 12 months. 

“I’ve been a real estate agent for 18 years. So this is the most frustrating thing ever,” Gibbs instructed CBS Information’ client investigative correspondent Anna Werner. 

A NASA worker claims he was additionally focused after Hertz reported his car stolen. In keeping with him, he was driving a rented Hertz SUV when a Florida police officer held him at gun level after Hertz filed a theft report two days earlier, claiming the car NASA had rented was stolen.  

He was later launched and has additionally filed a claim towards the rental firm.  

One other claimant, Florida banker Manuel Garcia, stated he watched as his Hertz rental automobile was towed away whereas he was at a restaurant after it was additionally reported it stolen—even although he stated he had been leasing the automobile for months. 

“Never in my life would I imagine that I would be in a situation like this,” Garcia stated.  

Carmen Bosko rented a automobile from a Florida Hertz location in January and stated she returned it in April. However in August, officers in Georgia arrested her for automobile theft. Bosko spent 40 days in jail and was separated from her three kids together with her two-month-old child.  

“I had to explain to my kids why I was gone for 40 days. And I missed time with my youngest that I’ll never get back,” she stated.   

Steven Robinson instructed CBS Information he by no means even rented a automobile from Hertz. However in June, police arrested him for automobile theft. He spent two days in jail and is now being prosecuted on felony fees.  

“I mean, this was the worst experience ever in my life. And I can’t believe that Hertz and it was a good slogan I heard, but Hertz really hurts people. Their negligent practices is like, it’s terrible,” stated Robinson.  

One other particular person, Rejeana Meado, stated she rented a Hertz automobile for 3 days in Might to attend a marriage in Houston along with her husband. She claims she returned it on time.    

However final week, Hertz despatched her this e mail saying they have now reported the automobile stolen, that means she may face fees and now lives in worry she might be arrested.  

“I have a husband. I have kids. It’s terrible. Sorry… My doorbell rings and I am fearful that it is the cops coming to get me,” Meado stated.  

Hertz wouldn’t touch upon this report however has beforehand stated the “vast majority” of instances “involve renters who were many weeks or even months overdue returning vehicles and who stopped communicating with (Hertz) well beyond the scheduled due date.” 

CBS Information has beforehand reported on related claims after a chapter courtroom decide was set to listen to arguments. Legal professional Francis Alexander Malofiy stated since CBS Information’ report first aired, extra individuals are coming ahead. 

“People think that they’re an isolated incident and they don’t realize that this is a systemic issue that’s happening across the nation,” Malofiy stated.  

Hertz disputes that, saying “situations where vehicles are reported to the authorities are very rare.” 

Fritz Jekel filed the same case in 2019 and at the time requested Hertz whether or not there were every other lawsuits for false arrests and related claims. He stated he obtained again a database, containing over 300 claims filed, going all the best way again to 2008-2016. 

CBS Information was not capable of view the database as a result of Hertz has marked it confidential. Hertz didn’t reply our questions on that database.  

In a earlier assertion, Hertz stated it “cares deeply about our customers, and we successfully provide rental vehicles for tens of millions of travelers each year.” 

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