Police: Suspected Connecticut Rental Car Thief Arrested After 19 Year Search
The long arm of the law does not rest and according to a report from the Westport Police Department, the law won again when it recently caught up with an alleged rental car thief after nearly two decades on the run.
According to The Westport Police Department, officers responded to the initial complaint that a rental vehicle had not been returned all the way back on September 5, 2002. The report stated that a vehicle had been rented from Avis Rental Cars in Westport in August of 2002, and the renter had allegedly not returned the vehicle. The person identified as the renter at the time was identified as Michelle Kinner. Prior to contacting Westport Police, Avis reportedly made requests for the vehicle to be returned.
Since the vehicle was 4 weeks overdue and efforts to reach Kinner and recover the vehicle were unsuccessful, the vehicle was deemed stolen. A Superior Court Judge then issued a warrant for Kinner's arrest. Well, Kinner allegedly didn't return any messages and stayed out of trouble for nearly 19 years. That is, until last Thursday, May 6, 2021, when Kinner turned herself into the Westport Police Department to finally answer for the warrant that was issued 19 years prior.
Kinner was taken into custody, and charged with 1st Degree Larceny (Motor Vehicle Theft), and was then released on a Promise to Appear. Kinner's arraignment is scheduled for Friday, May 21, 2021, in Norwalk Superior Court.
According to Connecticut's Statute of Limitations, the time limit does not apply to Class A Felonies, and since Kinner allegedly fled or lived outside of Connecticut, the time limit stops during the duration of the evasion. In Kinner's case, 19 years.
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