Man accused of stealing airplane at North Las Vegas Airport, flying to California: Reports
A man was arrested in California for allegedly stealing an aircraft and flying it for over 100 miles from Las Vegas to Barstow over the weekend, Local21News reported.
Damian Zukaitis, 40, was charged with possessing a stolen aircraft and transporting stolen property over state lines, according to Local21News. Additional charges related to crimes that occurred in Nevada are pending.
Police say Zukaitis stole a 2020 Kitfox from North Las Vegas Airport on Saturday, Dec. 30 and flew it to an area near the Barstow-Daggett Airport, east of Barstow, landing it on the roadway outside the airport, Local21News reported. Police were alerted about the incident around 2 p.m. when they made aware that the fixed-wing single-engine type aircraft had gone missing from the airport. Barstow is approximately 115 miles east of Los Angeles.
More:Utah man found dead after crawling into plane engine at Salt Lake City airport, police say
Man arrested for stealing airplane
Local21News reported that the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office made contact with Zukaitis unaware that the aircraft was stolen. At some point during the interaction, Zukaitis fled on foot into a desert area. However, he was later taken into custody and booked into the SBCSO - Barstow Station.
Authorities in North Las Vegas said attempts to steal airplanes on December 27, 28, and 29 were made and that they believe Zukaitis might be behind those too, reported Local21News.
While a motive is not yet known, the Federal Aviation Authority and the Transportation Security Administration have been notified about the incident and are investigating it in collaboration with the local authorities.
Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter @saman_shafiq7.