Pilot charged after hundreds of dollars in plane parts goes missing in Chillicothe
CHILLICOTHE, Mo. (KCTV) - A pilot and operator of an agriculture service has been charged with theft after hundreds of dollars in airplane parts went missing from hangars in Chillicothe.
Livingston County, Missouri, Circuit Court records filed on Monday, Feb. 10, have revealed that Charles R. Peniston, 53, of Chillicothe, has been charged in connection to the theft of airplane parts.
A probable cause statement filed by the Chillicothe Police Department indicated that around 1:55 p.m. on Oct. 3, 2024, law enforcement officials were called to the Chillicothe Municipal Airport with reports of a theft.
When first responders arrived, they found a victim who reported that between Sept. 13 and Sept. 20, someone had stolen air filters and a battery charger for his prop-engine aircraft.
Witnesses and surveillance footage revealed only one individual entered the hangar where the parts had been kept during the time frame of the theft.
Investigators said a pickup truck entered the hangar on Sept. 17 and left less than 1 minute later. Staff at the airfield reported the truck was known to belong to Peniston, a pilot and operator of Precision Ag-Air, an agricultural service.
Law enforcement officials said airport officials called Penniston. During the conversation, a second theft came to light. A witness reported he helped Peniston load a spreader into his truck before its owner could find it at the airport.
In total, $1,950 in airplane parts had been reported stolen. As a result, Penniston has been charged with theft. A criminal summons was issued on Monday, Feb. 10, with an initial appearance scheduled for 9 a.m. on March 26. No further information has been released.
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