Vermont Man With NH Drug Indictment Charged With Car Theft Via Turo Rental App In Concord

CONCORD, NH — A man from Vermont is facing felony charges after being accused of not returning a rental vehicle through an online app in late May.

Just before noon on May 24, an officer was sent to Tucker’s on South Street to speak with a woman about a past theft. The officer met with the woman while her husband was on the phone, and they explained they rented their 2013 Audi A4 to Timothy Cardwell, 60, of South Street in Wilder, Vermont, on May 6, but he failed to return the car, according to an affidavit.

The rental booking was made via the Turo app. The company bills itself as “car rentals, reimagined,” with “no lines, no paperwork, no hassle.”

The husband accused Cardwell of “acting suspicious” before the rental — showing up late for the appointment, as an example. After a week, the officer wrote, Cardwell extended the rental until May 20, but “had been ignoring their calls about getting the vehicle back.”

The husband claimed Cardwell said he could not find the ride or did not not answer his phone, the report said. As the situation escalated, and the husband warned a police report would be filed, the officer wrote. Cardwell said someone had taken the car, the affidavit stated. The husband then contacted an inspector with Turo.

Cardwell was also accused of claiming Claremont police had impounded the car. The wife said she contacted Claremont police and the department denied having the vehicle.

The approximate value of the car was between $6,000 and $7,000, the report stated.

Editor's note: This post was derived from information supplied by the Concord Police Department and Concord District Court and does not indicate a conviction. This link explains the process for requesting the removal of a name from New Hampshire Patch police reports.

The officer took photos of the text messages, returned to police headquarters to begin the paperwork, and also requested dispatch to report the car as stolen.

The investigating officer called the Vermont phone number purported to be Cardwell and asked about the car. Cardwell, the report stated, claimed he had been trying to return the vehicle, was socializing with friends, and then fell ill. He then lent the car to a friend who never returned it, despite his trying to call them, the report stated. When asked for information about the friend, Cardwell told the officer he could not spell the first name but provided the officer with what it sounded like. He then stated the last name was “Gagne,” according to the affidavit. He also gave the officer a New Hampshire phone number and said he had also gotten “into an incident” with Claremont police.

While compiling the report, Claremont police received a delayed notification from the car. The officer called Claremont dispatch, who said the hit did not appear to be from any call for service. Claremont police dispatch, too, issued a BOLO (be-on-the-lookout) call for the car.

Claremont police called the officer back later in day after they found the car. The officer said it had been involved in an incident where “multiple people” were arrested, including Marshall Gagne, 34, of Vermont, who “was on the run as he had multiple warrants,” the report stated.

“(The officer) stated Marshall would get people to rent vehicles for him to use,” the affidavit said.

The Claremont officer requested the Concord officer reach out to the owners to retrieve the car.

The officer called Cardwell back and questioned him again about when he last saw the vehicle. Cardwell said at a restaurant in Claremont, but he did not remember the name of the restaurant, although it had “a funny name,” the report stated. He was accused of being unable to recall the address of the establishment.

The woman who co-owned the car was informed about the recovery and gave the Concord officer a PDF of the rental agreement, the report stated.

A warrant was issued on May 30.

Cardwell was arrested on June 12 on theft by unauthorized taking-$1,501-plus and unauthorized use of a vehicle-$1,500-plus charges, both felonies. He was scheduled to be arraigned in Concord District Court on June 23, but it was rescheduled to July 2.

According to superior court records, Cardwell has a criminal history dating back more than two decades, following his 2002 felony theft arrest for misapplication of property. The charge was dismissed in January 2004.

In September 2011, Cardwell was accused of three counts of theft in Hanover. He was charged a year later. He was also accused of felony bail jumping in April 2013, but the charge was nolle prossed in May 2014. Cardwell pleaded nolo contendere to one count and was ordered to pay restitution of $5,588 in May 2014. The two other charges were nolle prossed. In March 2015, December 2015, and October 2018, he was found to be in violation of the court order.

Cardwell was indicted in March on a felony acts prohibited-cocaine charge after an incident in Lebanon in June 2024. A warrant was issued for his arrest on June 9 after he missed a dispositional conference hearing in Grafton County Superior Court. He was released on $300 cash bail, with conditions, on June 13. Cardwell has a dispositional conference hearing scheduled for July 15, with a waiver required for extradition, and a final pretrial hearing set for Aug. 18.

At the time of publication, it is unknown whether charges have been issued against Gagne in the case. Gagne also appears to have no superior court cases.

Do you have a news tip? Please email it to tony.schinella@patch.com. View videos on Tony Schinella's YouTube or Rumble channels. Patch in New Hampshire is now in 190 communities. Also, follow Patch on Google Discover.