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Conflict Incident Report
Suspected car thieves arrested after selling rental vehicle
Two individuals have been arrested in Bekaa on suspicion of selling a rented car, having told the rental company that the vehicle was stolen from them in a kidnapping incident, according to a statement from the Internal Security Forces.
Syrian nationals A.A., 29, and B.Q., 20, reportedly rented a Renault Stepway vehicle from a car rental company in Bekaa’s Chtoura. On Jan. 18, the company filed a complaint to the region’s investigation unit, after the clients had failed to return the car on the set date, claiming they had been the victims of a kidnapping incident.
On the scheduled return day, the statement said, one of suspects claimed the car had been stolen from him in a kidnapping incident carried out by a group of masked men. The assailants, he said, took him to Baalbek’s Hermel and stole his car and cell phone before releasing him.
After reviewing surveillance cameras, the ISF found this claim to be false and arrested both A.A. and B.Q. in the Bekaa Valley.
A.A. reportedly admitted to selling the rented Stepway for $7,000 and being involved in a car theft gang that steals new rental cars.
A.A. also said that on the day of his arrest he had planned to rent seven more cars from various companies in Zahle, which he would then hand over to the auto theft gang.
These accomplices would then smuggle the cars into Syria for resale.
The ISF is carrying out further investigations to arrest the remaining gang members, the statement added.