A man has been arrested after three light aircraft were vandalized at an airfield near Reading.
Thames Valley Police said it appeared a vehicle was driven into the Cessna single engine planes in Englefield.
The three planes have been written of as a result of the damage, estimated by the owners at up to £700,000.
A
Jeep Grand Cherokee was discovered set alight nearby, in Bath Road. A
29-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the incident.
Buildings at the airfield were also damaged by the planes being pushed into them.
Hare coursing
Police said the planes were a 50 vintage type, a four-seater piston-powered plane and a six-seater light business plane.
The
damage was discovered by estate staff shortly after 07:00 BST. They had
been told that animals had escaped onto the nearby A4, and found a gate
had been forced open.
David Wiggins, gamekeeper at the Englefield Estate, said: "We're pretty sure they were in after hares.
"We've got a lot of problems with hare coursing.
"Not just coursing, but just driving the animals over, running them over, flattening them.
"That's what it started as I guess and then it turned into this damage we've got here."
Peter
Ford, owner of the 50 vintage type said: "The guys obviously came with
this four-wheel drive, pushed the aircraft into the back of the barn and
then came again."
He said his plane's wing had been "snapped off".
Story and Video: http://www.bbc.co.uk
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment