News

This Jan. 16, 2021, booking photo provided by the Cook County Sheriff's Office shows Aditya Singh. (Cook County Sheriff's Office via AP)

Man Arrested After Hiding in Chicago Airport for Months Due to COVID Fears

By The Associated Press January 18, 2021 at 9:58am

A California man who told police that the coronavirus pandemic left him afraid to fly has been arrested on charges that he hid in Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport for three months.

Aditya Singh, 36, is charged with felony criminal trespass to a restricted area of an airport and misdemeanor theft after he was arrested Saturday.

At a court hearing on Sunday, a judge ruled that the Orange, California, man could be released on $1,000 bond, but said that Singh was prohibited from setting foot in the airport.

As of Monday morning, Singh remained in the Cook County Jail.

Assistant public defender Courtney Smallwood said Singh does not have a criminal record. She also said it was unclear why Singh, who is unemployed, came to Chicago or if he has ties to the area.

Singh was spotted by two United Airlines employees who asked him for identification, the Chicago Tribune reported. Singh showed a badge that actually belonged to an operations manager at the airport who had reported it missing in late October, Hagerty said.

The employees called police, who took Singh into custody. Singh told authorities that he’d found the badge and that other passengers at the airport had given him food.

“The court finds these facts and circumstances quite shocking for the alleged period of time that this occurred,” Cook County Judge Susana Ortiz said.

“Being in a secured part of the airport under a fake ID badge allegedly, based upon the need for airports to be absolutely secure so that people feel safe to travel, I do find those alleged actions do make him a danger to the community.”

Singh is scheduled to return to court Jan. 27.

[jwplayer RvAQai3b]

The Western Journal has reviewed this Associated Press story and may have altered it prior to publication to ensure that it meets our editorial standards.

Submit a Correction →

We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.

Tags:

Chicago, Coronavirus, Crime, U.S. News, WJ Wire

The Associated Press

SummaryMore Biographical InformationRecent PostsContact

The Associated Press is an independent, not-for-profit news cooperative headquartered in New York City. Their teams in over 100 countries tell the world’s stories, from breaking news to investigative reporting. They provide content and services to help engage audiences worldwide, working with companies of all types, from broadcasters to brands. Photo credit: @AP on Twitter

@AP

Facebook

The Associated Press was the first private sector organization in the U.S. to operate on a national scale. Over the past 170 years, they have been first to inform the world of many of history's most important moments, from the assassination of Abraham Lincoln and the bombing of Pearl Harbor to the fall of the Shah of Iran and the death of Pope John Paul.

Today, they operate in 263 locations in more than 100 countries relaying breaking news, covering war and conflict and producing enterprise reports that tell the world's stories.

Location

New York City