Posted: Feb 25, 2013 12:06 PM EST
PUNTA GORDA, FL - Charlotte County deputies arrested the Punta Gorda Airport manager of Hertz Rent-a-Car for stealing a handgun accidently left inside a rental car by a customer.
Douglas John Orr, 32 of Port Charlotte was arrested and charged with Grand Theft of a Firearm.
Deputies received a call Saturday from a Punta Gorda resident who rented a car from Hertz at the airport to drive to Georgia.
He said he went to pick up belongings from his deceased father that included a 1911 Springfield Armory .45 caliber firearm with a loaded magazine.
He told the deputy he went to the airport and talked to a Hertz clerk who said they did not find a firearm but took him to the car he rented, searched and found nothing.
The clerk called manager Orr, who said he located the weapon and turned it in to the sheriff's office.
The victim called the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office and talked to a deputy who checked and said there was no report of a handgun being turned in.
The victim went back to Hertz and talked to Orr about the gun again.
Orr told him he found the gun in his rental car, put it in a plastic bag and turned it in at the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office front office.
The victim then called a Charlotte County sergeant who said she would investigate further and call him back.
The sergeant contacted Orr who said he placed the gun in a white plastic bag with a sticky note to it with the information and dropped it off at the sheriff's office administration building front door.
A check again could not locate the missing gun. The CCSO office is located across the street from the airport and is closed on the weekends.
The sergeant contacted Orr again who was very adamant that he did not have the weapon and said he was getting upset about the type of questioning.
Orr was asked to meet with deputies and when he arrived, he said he had something to tell the deputies.
He said he was disappointed in himself and wanted to retract his comments made on the phone earlier.
Orr stated the gun and holster were in the trunk of his car but he threw away the ammunition.
Deputies returned the gun to the owner and Orr was arrested and taken to the Charlotte County Jail; he posted a $2,500 bond and was released.
Story and Photo: http://www.abc-7.com
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