Man attempts to steal air ambulance Beach King
A man was charged for attempting to steal an air ambulance Beach King Air 90 in Hilo, Hawaii
The incident happened around 01:30 on 27 August. Officials said Gabriel Arjona Molina drove through a fence at Hilo International Airport and made it to the general aviation area. Molina then allegedly got into an empty plane and was able to start the engines, but the plane did not move, at which point Hawaii Island police managed to apprehend him.
No aircraft or other vehicles were damaged and no injuries were reported. Prosecutors charged him with five offenses, including first-degree attempted theft, criminal property damage and trespassing.
A release from the Hawaii Police Department stated: “The vehicle driver […] reportedly parked next to a fixed-wing single engine aircraft, exited the vehicle, and attempted to manually spin the aircraft’s propeller.
“He gained access to the aircraft via the pull-down hatch and entered the cockpit where he was able to start both [sic] engines before exiting the plane.”
Aircraft are an atypical choice for getaway vehicles, although a suspect was charged with grand theft auto and criminal mischief in July after boarding a US Coast Guard C-130.
Clara Bullock
Clara Bullock is a writer for ITIJ and AirMed&Rescue. Initially a freelance writer for publications ranging from gardening news to music magazines, she has made the transition to writing about the ins and outs of travel insurance and aeromedicine. In her spare time she reviews books on Instagram and eats pasta.