A former car rental manager has been arrested and placed in the Allegheny County Jail for allegedly fraudulently renting vehicles for cash and heroin.
Police say Jackie Neubauer, 40, of Monroeville, was fired from her job as regional manager of four AVIS Car Rental locations, including the Monroeville location, for allegedly renting cars to people using fake driver’s licenses, fake names and addresses and fake credit card numbers. In exchange, she was given cash and heroin, according to court documents.
Monroeville police said from October through December of this year, Neubauer was responsible for the theft of at least 15 vehicles, according to the complaint. They are investigating 92 fraudulent rental contracts for a total loss of more than $617,000.
Investigators said they expect as many as 30 more vehicles to have been stolen by the conclusion of their audit. They said Neubauer would rent cars for a month at a time for $1,000, then send the same cars out again without AVIS collecting any proceeds.
The report states that vehicles rented fraudulently by Neubauer include a vehicle that was used in a carjacking in Pittsburgh, one that was used in the theft of at least 35 catalytic converters in Uniontown and North Huntingdon, and at last three that were involved in high speed pursuits with Monroeville police.
Neubauer is charged with forgery, theft, criminal conspiracy - theft, possession, possession with intent to deliver, tampering with records and unlawful use of a computer.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Jan. 9.
A representative for AVIS said that since the investigation is ongoing, the company can’t comment, but they are assisting authorities.
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