Deputy mayor faces Avis theft charge

Kabili Tayari, Jersey City’s deputy mayor, is finding himself in hot water this week, following his arrest on charges of theft. The arrest stems from the fact that the Avis Rent-A-Car that this high-ranking municipal official has been driving was reported to police by the car rental firm as having been stolen. According to media reports, a car hire company based at Newark-Liberty Airport filed a complaint with local authorities about Tayari’s use of a rental vehicle. Deputy Mayor Tayari’s lawyer confirmed that his client had indeed failed to pay several outstanding bills relating to the use of this Avis car hire, but that he never had any intention not to pay or to steal the car. Philip Matsikoudis argues that this has nothing to do with theft. Instead, Tayari was simply too busy with his functions as deputy mayor and as such, paying for his car rental just slipped his mind. “He is a busy man and it probably was an oversight,” Matsikoudis told journalists.

According to court information, Tayari first rented a 2008 Chevy Malibu from an Avis Rent-A-Car outlet on April 6^th and his attorney confirmed that Jersey’s deputy mayor would “satisfy this bill forthwith.” Tayari, however, had to go through the unpleasant process that accompanies an arrest despite this promise. The deputy mayor was arrested at around 9:30am and was then taken to a local police station to be fingerprinted and booked. He was, however, released on bail that same day. The Chevy Malibu was immediately confiscated and sent back to a local Avis outlet.

www.avis.com