The Burke County Sheriff’s Office is still looking for the man accused of trying to steal multiple airplanes on Memorial Day from Foothills Regional Airport. The man did not get a plane but damaged a plane and airport property.
Sheriff Banks Hinceman released four videos of the man, believed to be in his 30s or 40s at Foothills Regional Airport on May 26. The man can be seen getting out of a silver/gray SUV that could have been a Jeep Grand Cherokee wearing light-colored pants, a dark shirt, dark boots, a dark baseball cap and carrying a small military-style backpack with modular lightweight load-carrying equipment (MOLLE) webbing, the sheriff’s office said.
The man can be seen on one of the videos trying to steal a small red and white airplane, going in a circle, hitting the side of the metal airplane hangar nose-first, which resulted in the airplane’s propeller flying off.
This is the man who law enforcement believe tried to steal airplanes from a local airport.Â
Burke County Sheriff's Office
In another video, the man can be seen walking through the hangar talking on speaker-phone with a woman.
The sheriff’s office said this man tried to steal multiple airplanes from Foothills Regional Airport in Burke County.
Burke County Sheriff's Office
While the planes never left the ground, hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage was done to the planes and other airport equipment.
Deputies believe this could be a white or silver/gray Jeep Grand Cherokee. It’s the vehicle a man drove to Foothills Regional Airport before trying to steal multiple airplanes.
Burke County Sheriff’s Office
After the damage is done, one of the videos shows the man leaving the airport in the SUV.
The estimated damage caused the three planes involved is $400,000 but the amount is expected to rise, Hinceman said.
If anyone recognizes the person in the videos, contact the Burke County Sheriff’s Office at 828-764-9558.
This video shows the man driving away from Foothills Regional Airport after law enforcement say he tried to steal airplanes and causing damage to them.Â
Burke County Sheriff's Office
A video shows a man attempting to drive a red and white plane out of a hangar at Foothills Regional Airport.
Deputies believe this could be a white or silver/gray Jeep Grand Cherokee. It’s the vehicle a man drove to Foothills Regional Airport before trying to steal multiple airplanes.
