Stamford man charged with stealing rental car

STAMFORD — Police arrested a Stamford man for allegedly driving a stolen rental pickup truck that was supposed to be returned four months ago.

Sgt. Robert Shawinsky said Enterprise RentACar reported to police in mid

September that a Nissan pickup truck was not returned to their company when it should have been in July.

Shawinsky said Enterprise tried to contact the woman who rented the car but was unable to reach anyone. The company also tried to put an additional charge for the car, which was due back July 3, on the debit card that was used to rent the vehicle, but the charges would not go through.

Enterprise even sent someone to the home of the woman who rented the car but could not find the vehicle there. They then sent a letter to the woman warning her to return the car or the company would report it stolen, which the company did, Shawinsky said.

On Monday at about 11:30 a.m., a police officer spotted the vehicle pulling into Dunkin’ Donuts on East Main Street. The vehicle was stopped and the driver, Frantz Richard, 52, said his wife rented the car after getting into an accident earlier in the year, Shawinsky said. Police officers said Richard said he was using the vehicle for work and there were construction supplies and several gallons of paint in the bed and cabin of the pickup truck.

Richard, who was charged with firstdegree larceny, did not explain why he did not return the rental. He was held in lieu of a $24,000 courtappearance bond because that is about how much the vehicle is worth, Shawinsky said.