Tried To Steal Two Planes From Hangars At Tampa Airport

A 28-year-old man has been arrested in Hillsborough County, FL for the attempted theft of two airplanes from Peter O. Knight Airport.

Television station WFTS reports that, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, Panama City Beach resident Drew Travis Bronnenberg broke into the airport Sunday night. Once on the airport property, he got into a hanger and pulled out a Piper PA-12 airplane and attempted to get it started. When he was not successful, he took a fire extinguisher from the hangar and discharged it.

He then went to another hangar and attempted to start an Icon A5 airplane. He again was unsuccessful. Then, the took a golf card from the hangar and drove to the fuel pumps. There, he broke into a fuel truck and started that.

The HCSO says that Bronnenberg crashed the fuel truck into a building, causing $250 worth of damage.

Bronnenberg has been charged with three counts of burglary of an unoccupied structure, two counts of burglary of an unoccupied conveyance, and the following charges:

• Grand theft fire extinguisher  
• Grand theft motor vehicle  
• Grand theft second degree
• Grand theft law enforcement semitrailer  
• Grand theft third degree ($5,000 - $10,000)
• Criminal mischief

(Image provided by the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office)

FMI: Original report