Police: Drive-by Shooters May Have Used Car-sharing Service
Police in Denver say suspects in a drive-by shooting in January may have rented several Smart Fortwos under fake names to use in connection with their crimes.
The Denver Post is reporting that in affidavits filed by detectives investigating the Jan. 4 shooting, Denver police asked the car-sharing company for GPS data from the cars when investigators learned multiple cars were rented with bogus names.
Surveillance camera footage from a nearby business showed the vehicles near the shooting at the time the crime was committed.
A company spokeswoman told the Denver Post that applicants are screened before they’re allowed to rent from Car2Go. The $35 application fee for Car2Go requires a credit card to complete, although presumably that card can be in anyone’s name.
The affidavit also claims the cars were rented through a call center, although the car sharing company maintains that the cars can only be rented online or through its app.
Drive-by shootings that reportedly use car-sharing services appear to be extremely rare so far, but may be a signal of how gangs can quickly adopt new technology. That and the story’s terrible lede.
More by Aaron Cole
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I'm honestly surprised more criminals don't do this. You can get a membership easily, find the cars anywhere in town, drive without the same risk of police attention as if you stole a car, and ditch the cars anywhere it's legal to park.
Like a burner phone on wheels, less likely to get pulled over than a stolen car. That is smart. Obviously, if they were any smarter, they'd get real jobs and wouldn't bother with drive-byes.
"Your Honor, How could my client aim properly with that twitchy transmission?" Judge: "Case dismissed"
The sharing economy is constantly devolving.