Alleged Thief Does Not Have A Pilots' License

Police in Lancaster county, PA say a man attempted to steal a Piper Aerostar from Donegal Springs Airpark on Monday. He got so far as to get at least one engine started and moved about 30 feet before stopping.

File Photo

Dale Root is accused of attempting to steal the plane. He reportedly has a long history of "police contact," according to the Lancaster New Era. Susquehanna Regional Police Lieutenant Stephen Englert said Root's motives for attempting to steal the airplane were unclear.

Witnesses at the airport said they heard an airplane engine running at a higher-then-normal RPM for about a minute before they called the police. Root was reportedly getting out of the plane, owned by Star Child LLC, and attempting to shut the door when an employee asked him what he was doing. Police arrived just a few minutes later.

10 years ago, Root had managed to get on board a US Airways plane at Lancaster airport in Pennsylvania without a ticket, and asked the flight crew to take him to Russia. He was not prosecuted at the time. 

Root was arrested on charges of attempted theft and jailed in lieu of $250,000 bond.

FMI: www.mariettapa.com/police.html