SANTO DOMINGO.- The Armed Forces and National Police investigate the theft of a twin-engine plane of the hotel group Puntacana, stolen by unidentified people from its La Isabela International Airport (Higüero) hangar at 3:20am Sunday.
Reports say the robbery of the Viscraft-200 model 2000 turboprop, U.S. registry N871C, valued at US$2.5 million occurred after the airport was closed, since it operates only to midnight.
The authorities found a golf cart and several empty gas tanks at the entrance of the hangar, and assume that the thieves topped its fuel tanks.
Controllers of the control tower at the nearby Las Americas International Airport (AILA) noticed the plane’s movement at Higüero and rang the alarm, but the airplane had already taken off and in its last contact was 25 miles south of Santo Domingo.
All military and civilian personnel who were in service at the Higüero airport from Saturday to Sunday night are being questioned.
Investigators look into possible inside help, since the thieves apparently know the airport well, easily accessing the take fuel depot and taking fuel tanks to the airplane.
The Civil Aeronautics Board issued a worldwide warning on the stolen plane.
From: United States, FREEPORT, Long Island.... ((You're blind to the fact that you're blind))
Awesome country of ours, first was the fencing around the perimeter of SDQ's airport and now personal jets... very bold. I bet the cameras were out of service at the time and the security guards were making shift changes, plus the tower suffered a power outage because of a surge in the grid and there was no gas in the generators to notice the plane staging for take-off until 15 minutes out. Then we are going to hear another story saying how a group of unidentified people boarded the plane before take-off, but no one noticed the plane leave..
Pitiful!!!!!
Written by: riosm, 24 Oct 2011 7:57 AM
From: United States
Sounds like a well planned caper too me.
What no flight plan?
Cleared for take off?
Talk about perfect timing ?
Where could one land and hide such an aircraft ?
Look for a well trained missing pilot.
Oh well there goes the transponder....
Talk about TRAFFIC CONTROL.
From: Dominican Republic, calle A.Portes
so much for the radar system that we are supposed to have ..just like the cameras in zona colonial to stop crime ..all a big joke . ,
Written by: generoso, 24 Oct 2011 8:20 AM
From: Dominican Republic, United States
The thieves needed at least 4 different accomplices to pull this robbery, someone to furnish the towing harness, they also needed to fill up with airplane fuel (at 3:30AM), needed a flight plan, and permission by the tower to take off. On top of all that clearing by customs and immigration inspectors, but since it was a plane owned by Frank Rainieri of the Punta Cana group, maybe they reported a inter-island flight that needed no customs or immigration inspection.
The plane reportedly landed in Venezuela, so it would not be that hard to trace if it still exists. The odds are that it performed its mission and it is probably scuttled by now.
To find the culprits should not be hard, since a plane of this size needs a qualified and experienced pilot.
Small and medium sized planes are rented, hijacked and stolen, all over the Americas for drug running purposes.
Written by: Juango, 24 Oct 2011 8:30 AM
From: United States, far S. Florida (formerly Santo Domingo)
If the plane flew south, the (DEA/US Southern Command) radar & electronic survellience equipment in Aruba, Curacao and Panama most probably pick them up. This eqiupment has the capability to track even low flying aircraft. The people (most probably drug runners) who stole the plane know this. This morning it is likely to be sitting under a camo tarp somewhere on a clandestine strip in Central America, undergoing a new paint job for it's new owner. I hope Frank R has his insc. premium paid up to date. btw a very nice plane, Beech King Air B200...
From: United States
Santiago/Miami,
Damm -- they let them steal a plane? Holy Cow! What in the hell is going on in the DR? Everyday, it's becoming more and more evident that the folks in charge of security in the country are more inept than the keystone cops. What if this plane is outfitted for something more sinister than a drug run? What if really bad people from across the pond have discovered that the authorities in the DR are so corrupt and inept that it is the perfect place for them to easily obtain a means by which to deliver another terrorist blow in the West? What will the Dominican authorities say then?
Written by: matador, 24 Oct 2011 9:20 AM
From: United States, www.brugal-ron.com/home.php
Only in our Country"" The corruption that never end....
Written by: avi8or55, 24 Oct 2011 9:42 AM
From: United States, Sosua
If AILA controllers knew this was an unplanned flight, then why weren't the Super Tucanos scrambled to intercept? Are they not based in San Isidro? They could have easily reached that airplane and track it to it's destination while coordinating with other authorities for their apprehension. I think one of those controllers at the AILA tower were involved in the caper too. To lose an aircraft that size just 25 miles out means one of 2 things, it either crashed or flew under the radar!!!!!! If in deed it landed in Venezuela as someone mentioned earlier, then it definitely leads to yet another case of corruption. Fire ALL on duty that morning!!!!!
Written by: walnut, 24 Oct 2011 9:54 AM
From: Dominican Republic, La Romana
Stolen airplanes, gunned down generals.....
Yet, the keystone Kops are satisfied arresting a two-bit pot seller.
Who will stop this madness?
No one!
Written by: underpar, 24 Oct 2011 10:29 AM
From: Dominican Republic
From: United States, FREEPORT, Long Island.... ((You're blind to the fact that you're blind))
Hey Underpants, two different types of aircraft....
who's side are you on, there is no justification for the thievery of airplanes out from under our noses and with all the equipment we have to combat drug runners and with the government saying, because of the equipment air drops have been eliminated completely, wouldn't you think it would be impossible to do so.... do you get my point? . I can only assume your job is on the line here.
Written by: riosm, 24 Oct 2011 11:00 AM
From: United States
Were not talking about a small aircraft parked in a privately owned/run airport here....
Most private airports anyone can walk up to any parked aircraft [most are parked outside of hangars] cut the tie downs do a function's check and adios amigo.
How abut doing damage to an aircraft or placing an destructive devise ? You forgot the single most important magic word .......S E C U R I T Y !
Written by: riosm, 24 Oct 2011 11:03 AM
From: United States
Radar tracking system's / quick reactionary response teams......what if it were a low flying incoming missile of some sort ?
From: United States, Vivir sin Patria, es lo mismo que vivir sin Honor.
Unbelievable, how can you steal an aircraft and airport authority or any security personnel did not notice anything. i guess it was nap time when they stole it.
From: United States
Santiago/Miami,
Hey "Underpar" don't get your panties in such a tight wod -- most of these comments -- while bothersome to your sensitivities -- are nevertheless valid. Seems to me if anyone is drinkig tainted cool aid -- it's you, drinking the juice being produced by a few inpect and corrupt officials in the DR. Are you by any chance related to some that form part of that group?
From: United States
The opportunity is there they will steal. My friends lost a King Air back in the 1990's guy went to the airport in broad daylight wearing a commercial pilots uniform, knew the names of the owners and even filed a flight plan to Miami. The plane had long range tanks and the latest electronics when found the next year after it ran off a runway in the Bahamas. The plane was repainted new tail number and interior was stripped and filled with cocaine which happened to disappear after the crash.
From: United States
Pure and simple, this is embarrassing.
This is not good for the country.
This story is already going around the world.
If thieves are so brazen, to steal a large plane from an airport.
How in the hell are people suppose to feel safe in their homes.
It is time for the people to rise up and put an end to this crap.
Un ladrón trepó a través de una ventana de segundo piso en mi vecinos casa mientras estaban durmiendo....
La próxima semana en que otro ladrón trató de entrar por la fuerza a otro que los vecinos alojan, fue tirado y matado.
From: Botswana, La reconnaissance est une lachete'
Graham Greene could not write this stuff up.
From: United States, Washington, DC
Written by: underpar, 24 Oct 2011 10:29 AM
From: Dominican Republic
I am so sick of the morons on this blog!
Its so pathetic most of you are in the USA now drinking there kool aid and stay the hell out of the DR
How can this happen in America ? Take a look at these link of a 18yr old steals planes and shut it already!
UnderP! the only problem with your statement is these wild and unbelievable things occur in the DR on a regular basis....... also, there are counties in the U.S. that are about the size of the DR!! Just think...if the DR was the same size as the U.S. and the crime was exponential the same size... Oh my godddd.......... Still... how do you steal a fence around an airport..!!!! Overnight!!!!!!!!!!!!............mios dio
Written by: avi8or55, 24 Oct 2011 2:37 PM
From: United States, Sosua
Maybe someone wasn't happy with their All-Inclusive plan! Maybe it was re-possessed! :)
Written by: Perez, 24 Oct 2011 3:53 PM
From: Dominican Republic
You know that things are very bad when someone steals a plane! Holy cow man, this is insane.
From: United States, Earth
Seriously??? A plane?!?! An entire plane?? Like how does that even happen???
From: Canada
And I was pissed off when my fridge was stolen in my new villa in DR.
I guest it was some kind of "well come".
Is here (DR) a law against chopping the hands of tiffs?
From: Dominican Republic, calle A.Portes
Pat Diamond funny thing is that I often think of Graham Green when I read this stuff ,,you are correct ,,it is a perfect plot for him and much better than Our man in Havana or Black Mischief ,,They say real life is much more interesting than fiction and what with small planes being stolen , people taking the man holes in the road for scrap metal , laws being changed at whim , \i am sure it would be a perfect novel ..You know every day here there is something quite amazing and so unreal that i wonder if I am not living in a make believe world .For some reason today I had at least 6 men ringing at my door with strange things to sell , I am sure all stolen , from a very large garden pot to a baby bed , that is besides the normal vendors of avacados , oranges , cherries and so on that noisily parade along the street every day .
I actually have been on this plane several times when the Punta Cana Group unwittingly mistook me for a rich potential investor .It may have been my last time ,
From: United States
Has a privat pilot license holder I was wondering how. This person was able to obtain airplane fuel if this is not an inside job....this guy is the man...
Written by: riosm, 24 Oct 2011 8:33 PM
From: United States
Andujar67,
Who ever ripped it off must've had some flight hours logged and some experience for a twin turbo prop and a strip long enough for landing. Twin engine aircraft are harder to fly.
Still one has to ask about the last known position and direction before it went below radar as far as fuel....most private planes/jets in the DR refuel once they land.
My guess it's in some country off shore being re-numbered [tail number] and painted and stripped of non-essentials for that extra cargo space....a smuggler's delight.
I don't know all the facts/details one has to ask....with air traffic control / ground crew did any one sound an alarm prior to taxing ?
Talk about a inside job and your right this pilot is "DA MAN".
From: Dominican Republic
Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain of flight 867 speaking. We are now returning to Miami. We are unable to land. It would appear that the Dominican Republic has been stolen and moved somewhere else.
From: United States
Juan that was really funny.......
Written by: ings0389, 25 Oct 2011 10:57 PM
From: United States
How the heck does something like this happens and no one knows where the plane is. It's not like it doesn't have readers. Like someone said before, how do you land this thing and get away with it? Only in the dominican
Written by: RoyStone, 27 Oct 2011 4:13 PM
From: Australia
MOLONDRON, advises
"Plane stolen is the property of an evangelical pastor from Arizona."
The plane was a gift from god, or bought with funds from selling phony miracle cures to deluded followers?
Written by: riosm, 27 Oct 2011 5:26 PM
From: United States
It was found...we'll list it as a "Lost 'n' found".
Smaller
Bigger
Close Gallery
Facebook
Digg this
del.icio.us
Technorati
Yahoo
Pitiful!!!!!
What no flight plan?
Cleared for take off?
Talk about perfect timing ?
Where could one land and hide such an aircraft ?
Look for a well trained missing pilot.
Oh well there goes the transponder....
Talk about TRAFFIC CONTROL.
The thieves needed at least 4 different accomplices to pull this robbery, someone to furnish the towing harness, they also needed to fill up with airplane fuel (at 3:30AM), needed a flight plan, and permission by the tower to take off. On top of all that clearing by customs and immigration inspectors, but since it was a plane owned by Frank Rainieri of the Punta Cana group, maybe they reported a inter-island flight that needed no customs or immigration inspection.
The plane reportedly landed in Venezuela, so it would not be that hard to trace if it still exists. The odds are that it performed its mission and it is probably scuttled by now.
To find the culprits should not be hard, since a plane of this size needs a qualified and experienced pilot.
Small and medium sized planes are rented, hijacked and stolen, all over the Americas for drug running purposes.
Damm -- they let them steal a plane? Holy Cow! What in the hell is going on in the DR? Everyday, it's becoming more and more evident that the folks in charge of security in the country are more inept than the keystone cops. What if this plane is outfitted for something more sinister than a drug run? What if really bad people from across the pond have discovered that the authorities in the DR are so corrupt and inept that it is the perfect place for them to easily obtain a means by which to deliver another terrorist blow in the West? What will the Dominican authorities say then?
Yet, the keystone Kops are satisfied arresting a two-bit pot seller.
Who will stop this madness?
No one!
Its so pathetic most of you are in the USA now drinking there kool aid and stay the hell out of the DR
How can this happen in America ? Take a look at these link of a 18yr old steals planes and shut it already!
http://boingboing.net/2009/10/08/barefoot-burglar-18.html
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/07/08/earlyshow/main6657576.shtml
who's side are you on, there is no justification for the thievery of airplanes out from under our noses and with all the equipment we have to combat drug runners and with the government saying, because of the equipment air drops have been eliminated completely, wouldn't you think it would be impossible to do so.... do you get my point? . I can only assume your job is on the line here.
Most private airports anyone can walk up to any parked aircraft [most are parked outside of hangars] cut the tie downs do a function's check and adios amigo.
How abut doing damage to an aircraft or placing an destructive devise ? You forgot the single most important magic word .......S E C U R I T Y !
Hey "Underpar" don't get your panties in such a tight wod -- most of these comments -- while bothersome to your sensitivities -- are nevertheless valid. Seems to me if anyone is drinkig tainted cool aid -- it's you, drinking the juice being produced by a few inpect and corrupt officials in the DR. Are you by any chance related to some that form part of that group?
This is not good for the country.
This story is already going around the world.
If thieves are so brazen, to steal a large plane from an airport.
How in the hell are people suppose to feel safe in their homes.
It is time for the people to rise up and put an end to this crap.
Un ladrón trepó a través de una ventana de segundo piso en mi vecinos casa mientras estaban durmiendo....
La próxima semana en que otro ladrón trató de entrar por la fuerza a otro que los vecinos alojan, fue tirado y matado.
From: Dominican Republic
I am so sick of the morons on this blog!
Its so pathetic most of you are in the USA now drinking there kool aid and stay the hell out of the DR
How can this happen in America ? Take a look at these link of a 18yr old steals planes and shut it already!
UnderP! the only problem with your statement is these wild and unbelievable things occur in the DR on a regular basis....... also, there are counties in the U.S. that are about the size of the DR!! Just think...if the DR was the same size as the U.S. and the crime was exponential the same size... Oh my godddd.......... Still... how do you steal a fence around an airport..!!!! Overnight!!!!!!!!!!!!............mios dio
"Plane stolen is the property of an evangelical pastor from Arizona."
This is interesting.
http://www.acento.com.do/index.ph....edad-de-un-pastor-evangelico.html
I guest it was some kind of "well come".
Is here (DR) a law against chopping the hands of tiffs?
I actually have been on this plane several times when the Punta Cana Group unwittingly mistook me for a rich potential investor .It may have been my last time ,
Who ever ripped it off must've had some flight hours logged and some experience for a twin turbo prop and a strip long enough for landing. Twin engine aircraft are harder to fly.
Still one has to ask about the last known position and direction before it went below radar as far as fuel....most private planes/jets in the DR refuel once they land.
My guess it's in some country off shore being re-numbered [tail number] and painted and stripped of non-essentials for that extra cargo space....a smuggler's delight.
I don't know all the facts/details one has to ask....with air traffic control / ground crew did any one sound an alarm prior to taxing ?
Talk about a inside job and your right this pilot is "DA MAN".
"Plane stolen is the property of an evangelical pastor from Arizona."
The plane was a gift from god, or bought with funds from selling phony miracle cures to deluded followers?