'A lot of moving parts.' 17 vehicles stolen from Gates Hertz lot: What we know

Gates police officers are investigating the theft of at least 17 vehicles from Hertz Rental Car near the airport.

Chief Rob Long said that officers were called to the car rental shop on Ajax Road Sunday morning after a Hertz employee arrived at the lot to find missing vehicles and a damaged fence.

Long said it appeared that a group of people cut the fence to the secured rental lot sometime between Saturday evening and early Sunday morning and stole at least 17 vehicles. The group, he said, somehow obtained keys to rental vehicles that were parked in the lot. Those involved then allegedly used a Chevrolet Suburban to push multiple vehicles out of the way - including a commercial box truck - and through the fence.

Six of the stolen vehicles were recovered on Sunday in the City of Rochester, he said. Those vehicles did not appear to be damaged and were taken back to the rental agency.

"There are a lot of moving parts and a lot of confusion here," Long said. "Officers are working hard to figure it all out."

Unanswered questions about the stolen cars

Among the questions - how were keys to the stolen vehicles obtained? Police are investigating and the rental agency is working on a full audit of what vehicles were stolen, how many were damaged and how many were recovered, Long said.

Ajax Road is off Buell Road, about a half-mile north of the Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport. Last year, an Irondequoit man was fatally shot nearby on Buell Road as two teens tried to steal his car. The teens later pleaded guilty to the attempted carjacking.

Anyone with details about the car thefts is asked to call Gates Police at Gates PD at (585) 247-2262 or tips@townofgates.org.

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Police:17 vehicles stolen from Hertz lot in Gates NY: What we know