SANTA ANA (CBSLA) – Santa Way John Wayne Airport officials confirmed a security breach at one of its terminals on Friday evening.
One person reportedly broke into one of the terminals, got off the tarmac and, according to law enforcement, stole a tow truck or truck and was on the taxiway for a short time before ‘leave the vehicle and flee on foot.
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Some planes were trapped on a runway, with passengers on board, for an unspecified period of time.
Passengers return to terminals after a security breach that temporarily suspended operations at John Wayne Airport on August 20 (CBSLA)
The Orange County Sheriff’s Department glided over the asphalt about 300 feet into the department’s helicopter, traversing the asphalt for the suspect, but it came out empty.
A terminal was cleaned during the suspect’s initial hunt and then reopened. However, it was closed again after MPs noticed rubble on the ground in the ticket sales area. It was then discovered that the suspect had somehow climbed to the ceiling and was hiding.
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OC sheriff’s deputies look at the ceiling where a man suspected of a Friday security breach that delayed flights and passengers at John Wayne Airport was found hidden in the ceiling. (CBSLA)
After some negotiations and the police passed a bottle of water towards the roof, the suspect went down a staircase and was arrested.
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