A former Avis employee stole 47 rental cars from Syracuse Airport and rented them out

The police are Search for a former airport car rental employee They are accused of orchestrating the theft of 47 vehicles worth more than $1 million from Avis Budget at the Syracuse Airport, authorities said Friday.

The suspect, identified as Milton Thompson III, 31, allegedly stole the vehicles over a two-month period between June and August, according to the Syracuse Regional Airport Authority Police Department.

Thompson, a former employee of Avis Budget Car Rental, is wanted on charges of grand theft and conspiracy to defraud. The Post-Standard reported.

Investigators said Thompson led a network that rented out stolen cars at other locations across Onondaga County.

The thefts were discovered when Avis Budget reported dozens of missing vehicles to authorities earlier this year.

Officials said 42 of the 47 vehicles have been recovered, but police continue to search for Thompson and the remaining cars.

Anyone with information about Thompson’s whereabouts is asked to contact the Syracuse Regional Airport Authority Airport Police Department at 315-455-3500 or email PD_Supervisor@sraapd.org, The department said in a statement.

Authorities did not specify how the vehicles were taken from the airport parking lot or how long the scheme was not discovered. Several other people have been arrested and charged in connection with the case, police said.

Investigators did not say how long Thompson had worked for the company or whether he acted alone in initiating the thefts.

According to the Associated Press, police believe Thompson used access privileges as an employee to remove and re-rent vehicles at off-site locations, sometimes through unofficial channels.

The Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office is assisting airport police in preparing charges.

Thompson, who remains at large, is described as a 31-year-old black man who previously worked for Avis Budget at the airport.