
BEAUMONT — A suspect arrested in Conroe has been linked to thefts at airports in multiple Southeast Texas counties, the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office said Friday in a news release.
Police officials are not naming the suspect, but the person is believed to have broken into a hanger and burglarized several planes and a vehicle inside the hanger at Jack Brooks Regional Airport last week.
Here's the sheriff's office statement:
On Saturday, March 11, 2017, an airplane sitting on the tarmac at the Southeast Texas Regional Airport was broken into. The suspect then broke into a hanger and burglarized several planes and a vehicle inside the hanger. Evidence discovered at the scene assisted in locating the suspect.
Investigators Deputy Mark Holmes and Deputy Danny Powell further discovered that two Airports in Chambers County, two Airports in Harris County, The Beaumont Municipal Airport, an Airport in Conroe as well as an Avionics business in Conroe had also been victims of similar thefts during the same time period.
The suspect was arrested in Conroe in possession of the stolen property. JCSO Investigators, working with the Conroe PD Investigators interviewed the suspect who gave a full confession to the crimes.
The loss at the Southeast Texas Regional Airport reached in excess of $225,000.00. All property has been recovered and will be returned to the rightful owners. Total loss to all Airports and the Avionics Business is in excess of 1.2 Million Dollars.
The suspect remains in the Montogomery County Jail on Felony Theft charges. His name will not be released at this time due to the ongoing investigation.