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Car2go, the floating car sharing service owned by Daimler, temporarily stopped its service in Chicago on Wednesday after stealing dozens of Mercedes-Benz vehicles using the app.
The Chicago Police Service has been alerted by Car2Go that some of their vehicles may have been rented by deceptive or fraudulent means via a mobile app, a spokesperson said in a statement to TechCrunch.
The news was first reported via tweet by Brad Edwards, journalist at CBS Chicago. Edwards reported that sources said that many vehicles were used to commit other crimes. CPD did not provide any details on the use of the vehicles and stated that the investigation was ongoing.
Car2go was launched in Chicago last June, the first time in four years that the company has added an American city to its ranks. The carpooling company allows customers to rent vehicles in the short term. Daimler's smart cars were once the only option for Car2go customers. The company has expanded its offering in recent years and now offers Mercedes-Benz CLA and GLA vehicles as well as two-door Smartfortwo vehicles.
CPD said 100 vehicles are still missing. It is estimated that 50 vehicles, all Mercedes-Benz, remain in the Chicago metropolitan area. Police question more than a dozen people of interest.
CPD reported working with Car2go to determine if there are other vehicles whose locations can not be considered. At this point, recoveries seem to be isolated on the west side, said CPD.
Although the perpetrators appear to have had access to the vehicles by "fraudulent means", Car2go pointed out that no personal or confidential information concerning the members had been compromised.
TechCrunch has received advice from a user who has received this message "Temporary Service Break" when attempting to use the application. Car2go confirmed the shutdown and added that it would provide an update as soon as possible.
Car2go is going through a brand and organizational transition. In March 2018, Daimler AG and BMW Group officially decided to merge their urban mobility services into a holding company, with a 50% stake. In February, the companies announced plans to unify their services in five categories by creating five joint ventures: Reach Now, Charge Now, Park Now, Free Now and Share Now.
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