How rental trucks have become a terrorist weapon

BOSTON — A rented Home Depot truck was used by a man to plow down a bike lane in New York City Tuesday evening, killing eight people and injuring 11 others in what authorities are calling a terrorist attack.

Rental trucks are difficult to defend against and they’re incredibly easy to rent. Because they’re cheap and there’s virtually no background check.

“If they're a whack job, how do you know that? Can't tell, you know, unless they're jumping around acting crazy, then you kind of question it. But what can you do about it?” Tim Santoro explained to Boston 25 News Wednesday.

Santoro rents trucks for Budget in Norwood. He says a customer only needs a valid driver's license and a credit card. They don't screen customers.

"You can have a pit in your stomach and I cannot have a pit looking at the same person. You can't discriminate just because you think someone doesn't look right," Santoro said.

The FBI says the driver in the New York City attack appeared to have rented a flatbed truck from home depot.

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According to the company's website, the truck only requires a $50 deposit, along with a license and credit card.

The NYPD says it visited nearly 150 truck rental agencies last year and worked with them on how to identify suspicious customers.  Boston police and the Massachusetts State Police say they have no such program.

Instead, both agencies are warning rental companies to be vigilant.

“I would've rented to him. I would've seen something, I would've wanted to say something. Lord knows if I did, I probably would be called a name for it,” said Ken Nasif.

He owns a small rental car agency and feels his industry needs a new system to safeguard against terror attacks, perhaps issuing a  'do not rent list.'

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