Less than 24 hours after 22 year old Renan Carrillo rented a Chevy Equinox to a customer, he realized something was wrong. When he tried to contact the renter, he was lied to and ignored. And by the time he found his vehicle, it was just in time, since it seems that the renter, Mark Antonio Rosales, had big plans that didn't include returning it.
It's a situation that has left Carrillo out a couple thousand dollars in repairs and Rosales on the run. We spoke to both of them on the phone and Courtney Menzies has this story.
This is how 22 year old Renan Carrillo's Chevy Equinox looked when he rented it to Mark Antonio Rosales on Sunday.
And this is how he found it on Tuesday- with the paint half sandpapered off and the panels missing - likely ready to be repainted and sold off or repurposed.
Carrillo explained that the red flags were raised after he saw allegations made against Rosales.
Voice of: Renan Carrillo Jr., Rents Cars
"I rented my vehicle to Rosales on Sunday, 6:30 to be exact and then Monday around midday I received a call from one of my clients. They had a whole post about Rosales scamming people and I saw my vehicle come up as well. So I managed to call him and inform him that the contract is over because he pretty much used my vehicle for illegal stuff, you're scamming people. And he told me he was in Belize and he would reach in an hour time and I said, sure, no problem. And I started ringing his phone and realized that he won't answer my calls anymore after 6:30. So I went to his so called address and the same time I reach, Mr Moza reached as well and we started to talk and that's when we realized both of our vehicles are missing and he hadn't returned them."
And this home visit came after multiple texts and calls where Rosales promised he was on his way to deliver the vehicle, and with Carrillo losing patience and threatening to file and police report. Eventually, he found his vehicle with $2,000 worth of damage.
Renan Carrillo Jr., Rents Cars
"When I found the vehicle, I realized it's all sandpapered up, it looked like they were going to paint it a whole different color but he said it would be black again but it makes no sense for them to sandpaper it and it's already black. All the insides were already taken out like the interior, the door panels and so forth and to me, it looked like they would put something in it, I won't say drugs or money, I'm not sure, but something in it."
"I was actually shocked because Rosales been renting with me since September and we had a good relationship, he used to rent it for days, he used to pay fees, bring it back in good condition and so forth so I considered him one of my top clients, we didn't have any issues and to find out he did this to me and other rentals, unbelievable to be honest."
But Rosales denied any claim that he was attempting to steal or scam anybody. Yesterday he told us over the phone that he was in fear of his life because of the accusations made against him.
Mark Antonio Rosales, Accused of Rental Car Theft
"I went to do a job with him. Now things didn't go the way he wanted and we went through an altercation over the phone and now he's stating I have his vehicle and blah blah blah. So for him to come with these lies over the news and say because this that and that because yes I have my past but I have nothing to do with a stolen vehicle or I rent a vehicle to go and sell."
Jules Vasquez:
"What are you doing right now?"
Mark Antonio Rosales, Accused of Rental Car Theft
"Hiding like what everybody said. On the run, hiding."
Jules Vasquez:
"So what is your greatest concern right now?"
Mark Antonio Rosales, Accused of Rental Car Theft
"Well my concern is what to hand in myself but I know Mr Moza threaten me, I'm a dead man. Because you know police from Orange Walk have a bad reputation."
Jules Vasquez:
"It sounds like you're a crook, it sounds like you're in a lot of things, you have cars for people and it sounds like you're in crooked business. What's your explanation for this state you're in?"
Mark Antonio Rosales, Accused of Rental Car Theft
"Well like I said, I got caught up in some misunderstandings and people want to kill me so I tried to help myself and admit mistakes. I will go back to it again and make the same mistake over again."
Jules Vasquez:
"Were you in a joint enterprise with any of these person to smuggle drugs or anything like that?"
Mark Antonio Rosales, Accused of Rental Car Theft
"Not really drugs but other things besides drugs."
Jules Vasquez:
"Other illegal stuff?"
Mark Antonio Rosales, Accused of Rental Car Theft
"Yes."
But for Carrillo, he just wants Rosales to turn himself in.
Renan Carrillo Jr., Rents Cars
"The only option he has right now is to turn himself in because he's on the run, he can't run for long so might as well turn himself in and he has already done what he did, might as well he gives himself in at this point."
Rosales told us he would turn himself into Corozal police yesterday, but up to tonight he remains at large. We could not reach him by phone today.
