Single Cessna 172 stolen twice in same week at two Southern California airports

A Cessna 172 airplane was stolen twice in the space of a week from two separate Southern California airports.

The vehicular world is no stranger to car theft, unfortunately, but it’s very rare for planes to go missing.

But for Southern California local Jason Hong, his Cessna 172 airplane proved to be the target of some very determined people.

Hong’s brightly coloured short-haul plane was reported missing twice in seven days as it was found to be hopping around the state with an unwelcome new pilot.

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This Californian man had his Cessna 172 stolen twice in one week

The Cessna range includes some of the most sought-after planes out there, with many people looking to get their hands on them at low cost and restore them so they become shining diamonds in the sky.

Not every restoration job works, of course.

Still, there’s no denying that models like the Cessna 712 are ideal for traveling around the US, hopping from one state to another without having to adhere to traffic or endless country roads.

Unfortunately for Jason Hong, his rainbow-striped Cessna 172 allegedly proved to be the pick of the bunch for one woman who wasn’t waiting around to wave hello.

As reported by local outlet KCAL, this red-nosed plane was stolen from Corona Airport near Anaheim earlier last week before being found at Brackett Field a few hours later.

However, the recovered plane wasn’t able to fly as it had a dead battery. Thinking it was safe at this airport, Hong said he’d be back in a few days with a fresh battery to take it home.

When he came back, though, it was gone. Again.

The Cessna 172 was reported missing a second time, and lo and behold, it was spotted again at another California airport, this time at San Gabriel Valley Airport in El Monte.

‘Thick as thieves‘ seems appropriate.

The outlet claims that a woman was spotted posing as the owner, while Hong claimed that the airplane looked ‘lived in’ with cigarette butts on the floor.

Every cloud this plane flies through has a silver lining

Still, the man has now found a new home for his Cessna 172, as the team at San Gabriel has promised to keep it under 24-hour surveillance.

The plane still needs a new battery, as the woman who was allegedly using it had removed her fully charged pack and left the Cessna 172 flat again. Yes, she brought her own battery.

But at least Hong can be reassured that his new friends at San Gabriel will be keeping a keen eye on his prized possession.

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