Pilot Suspected in Theft of 3 O.C. Planes Arrested

A Long Beach pilot accused of stealing three airplanes has been jailed while awaiting an upcoming court hearing, police said.

Carlos R. Courtois, 42, was arrested Nov. 7 as he drove away from his home, said police, who added that they found containers of aviation fuel in the trunk of his car.

The three single-engine Cessnas, worth about $275,000 total, disappeared from Fullerton Municipal Airport this fall, said Lt. Tony Hernandez.

An officer took Courtois’ name after he was seen loitering at the airport, he said. He then became a suspect when the planes disappeared, Hernandez said.

He has pleaded not guilty to three counts of airplane theft and is being held in county jail in lieu of $250,000 bail.

His preliminary court hearing has been scheduled for Wednesday.

“This is something we don’t normally experience,” said Hernandez, a 26-year veteran of the department.

“We’ve had this airport about as long as I’ve been here, and I can’t think of too many plane thefts.”

Several other planes have been stolen from Southern California airports in the past year. Courtois was also questioned about those cases but denied involvement, police said.

The airplanes have not been recovered, officials said.