Police: Man Sneaks Onto Jet At LA Airport

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Police have arrested a man who sneaked through a vehicle entrance at a Los Angeles airport and boarded a jet, where he hung out smoking a cigarette.

Employees discovered the 25-year-old transient Thursday afternoon on a Gulfstream G4 at Van Nuys Airport, which serves noncommercial flights.

Los Angeles Airport Police say he hid behind a vehicle entering the airfield and made it to a hangar, then boarded the plane. When confronted, he put out the cigarette, causing about $5,000 in interior damage.

He was arrested on suspicion of trespassing and vandalism.

The airport has seen several other intrusions in recent months, including an incident in which taggers spray painted three jets. An Associated Press investigation showed that, nationally, people get past airport perimeter security more often than authorities publicly acknowledge.