Woman arrested after allegedly stealing shuttle bus at Midway Airport, driving onto taxiway
A woman has been arrested after allegedly breaking into a private aviation hangar at Midway International Airport, stealing a shuttle bus, and driving it onto a taxiway before telling police she was just "testing security."
The 39-year-old woman is charged with a felony count of criminal trespass to an airport, and two misdemeanor trespassing charges. CBS News Chicago is not naming the woman, who has a history of mental health issues.
Every possible port of entry at Midway and O'Hare International Airport is supposed to be guarded by security, and doors to the runaway and other secure areas are equipped with keypads requiring special badges to pass through, but somehow a woman got into a secured area at Midway and roamed freely where planes are parked, before she hopped on a bus and drove it around.
According to a Chicago police report, she was arrested around 4:25 a.m. Monday, after a witness saw her on the secured side of the Signature Flight Support hangar at Midway, where she climbed onto a Signature shuttle bus and drove it onto the taxiway in front of the building, where planes are parked.
After driving in a circle, she returned to the hangar building, where the witness lost sight of her.
Another witness said she had seen the woman hold the hangar door open for her as the witness was pushing a food cart. A third witness told police the woman had asked about using the restroom in the Signature hangar.
Responding officers spotted the woman on the unsecured side of the hangar, and when officers questioned her, she told them "I was just testing security," and added "Free Palestine."
The security breach happened on the secure side of Midway along Central Avenue. The hangar area is surrounded by barbed wire fencing, with a security post for vehicles to enter after being screened by aviation security.
After she was arrested, the woman informed police she has a history of mental health problems, and she was taken to a hospital for evaluation.
It remained unclear Wednedsay afternoon how or exactly where she was able to get inside the secured area. A statement from Signature said they are working closely with authorities investigating the security breach.
The woman does not appear to have a prior criminal record. She listed her profession as licensed social worker, and her home address is listed less than a block away from the airport.
At her first court appearance on Tuesday, she was allowed to go free ahead of trial, but is required to regularly check in with a probation officer.
She is due back in court on Monday.
The breach comes just months after a DoorDash driver made it onto the tarmac at O'Hare International Airport and drove around secure areas until police stopped him. A source told CBS News Chicago the delivery driver drove miles along the interior and restricted roads at O'Hare — potentially crossing runways — before someone spotted him from the air traffic control tower.
O'Hare and Midway international airports have had several security scares over the past year.
On April 15, a passenger with a gun was pulled from a United Airlines flight at O'Hare and arrested. Besnik Ismajlaj, 53, of St. Charles, was charged last week with a misdemeanor count of carrying a concealed firearm at the airport.
On Feb. 25, a Southwest Airlines plane at Midway had to abort landing when a private business jet crossed into its path while taxiing on the runway.
On Dec. 24, 2024 — Christmas Eve — a stowaway was found dead in the wheel well of a United plane headed from O'Hare to Maui, Hawaii.