Accused Of Trying To Take King Air

An Indiana man was arrested this week on charges he attempted to steal a Beechcraft King Air from La Porte Municipal Airport.

As ANN reported, someone snuck onto the airport September 9 and apparently tried to steal a King Air C90 owned by Delaware-based Longin Consultants. The attempt was less than successful; the aircraft was found the next morning in a soybean field adjacent to a taxiway.

The La Porte County Herald-Argus reports Michael Santos was arrested this week on charges of theft and criminal mischief. The 38-year-old man was identified as a suspect shortly after the incident, but the investigation stalled when fog at the airport concealed the identity of the attempted plane thief from security cameras.

Airport authority vice-president Jim Fleming credited a Crime Stoppers tip for Santos' arrest. "They knew within 24 hours," Fleming said.

It's not clear whether Santos has a pilot's license. La Porte Police Chief of Detectives Dennis Behenna notes whoever attempted to take off with the King Air had to be "somebody who's familiar with planes." (Though perhaps not too familiar, as the King Air wound up in the field after the pilot failed to negotiate a turn properly.)

Santos is in custody in La Porte County Jail, held on a $2,000 bond. He is accused of causing over $150,000 in damage to the King Air, and with taking several headsets from a number of planes at the airport.

FMI: www.alco.org/govt/LP_Air/lpairport.html