3 F-16 Jet Engines Stolen From AF Base, Then Found
Three F-16 jet engines that mysteriously disappeared from Hill Air Force Base last week were found Friday, but their return was as murky as their leave-taking.
The 3,200-pound engines, valued at about $2 million apiece, were recovered by the FBI, but the bureau isn’t talking. The engines “are in the possession of the government,” said Hill spokesman Len Barry.
“We cannot discuss any details of the theft or recovery of those engines because the matter is still under investigation by the FBI and the Air Force Office of Special Investigation,” Barry said.
FBI Special Agent Tim Screen confirmed that the engines had been located, but refused to provide further details.
Retired Rear Adm. Gene R. La Rocque, director of the Center for Defense Information, a military think tank in Washington, said he knew of engine parts being stolen in the past.
“But . . . whole jet engines, that just boggles my mind,” he said Friday. “I’d think it would be easier to steal a whole plane.”
La Rocque said millions of dollars have been lost through military employees’ stealing parts to sell, including many for a lucrative black market in spares for the F-14 fighter.
The engines are rebuilt Pratt & Whitney F-100 TW200 series, about 17 feet long, 34 inches in diameter and weighing 3,200 pounds each.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
