NORTH LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — A man is under arrest after being accused of stealing an airplane from the North Las Vegas Airport.
According to the North Las Vegas Police Department, the incident happened on Dec. 30 around 2 p.m. Investigators said 40-year-old Damian Zukaitis stole a 2020 Kitfox fixed wing single-engine aircraft. They add preliminary details indicate that he then flew to an area near the Barstow-Daggett Airport, just east of Barstow, and landed on a road outside of the airport.
That's when he was contacted by the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Office. Investigators said Zukaitis ran away from deputies into a desert area before he was apprehended and arrested.
North Las Vegas police said the circumstances into how Zukaitis was able to steal the plane are still under investigation. They add that on Dec. 27, 28, and 29th, there were reports that other airplanes had attempted to be broken into at the North Las Vegas Airport. Investigators believe Zukaitis was responsible for those incidents as well.
As of Thursday, the motive is still under investigation. The Federal Aviation Administration and Transportation Security Administration have both been notified about the incident and are working with detectives.
On Thursday, the Federal Bureau of Investigation told Channel 13 they have taken over the investigation. However, they declined to comment further.
As for Zukaitis, he was booked into the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Office - Barstow Station and is facing charges including possession of a stolen airplane and transporting stolen property across state lines. Additional charges are pending related to crimes that occurred in Nevada.
