WILLIAMSBURG, Va. — A routine car rental turned into an unsettling discovery for a Williamsburg woman when she found police equipment, including a loaded assault rifle, in the trunk of her Hertz rental.
The woman rented a black 2022 Honda HRV on Jan. 10 but didn’t notice anything unusual until four days later, when she adjusted the back seat due to a seatbelt issue. In the trunk, she found tactical gear including bulletproof vests, a helmet, a headset, and a loaded assault rifle in a large case. Concerned for safety, she sought guidance from someone in the military to disarm the weapon before taking the items to the Williamsburg Police Department.
Upon turning over the equipment, officers expressed concern over how it ended up in the rental. City officials stated that an internal investigation is now underway to identify how the gear went missing and was left behind. The woman questioned the lack of accountability and expressed alarm that such critical items were unaccounted for over several days.
Hertz acknowledged the incident, calling it a breach of protocols and pledging to implement immediate corrective measures to prevent similar incidents. Meanwhile, the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the misplaced equipment continues.