California Man Arrested For Hiding In O'Hare Airport For 3 Months

A man from California was arrested after living in the Chicago airport for 3 months, saying he feared flying home because of COVID-19.

Source: Xinhua News Agency / Getty

The California resident, named Aditya Singh, reportedly lived inside of Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport terminal for three months undetected. He was eventually discovered and arrested on Saturday.

According to reports from the Chicago Tribune, the 36-year-old arrived at the airport after flying from Los Angeles on October 19 and until this weekend, had been staying in the airport ever since. Assistant State’s Attorney Kathleen Hagerty said Singh was able to stay undetected for so long by using an airport worker’s credentials he found, surviving “largely from other passengers giving him food.”

On Saturday morning, two United Airlines employees confronted Singh about his work status. When he showed them the stolen work ID, the employees called 911, and Singh was arrested by police later that evening. Now, prosecutors are charging the California native with felony criminal trespass to a restricted area of an airport and misdemeanor theft.

“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.”

The Tribune also noted that the stolen badge belonged to an operations manager who reported it missing on Oct. 26.

That’s a long time!

Assistant Public Defender Courtney Smallwood revealed that Singh didn’t have any history of a criminal background. Apparently, he has a master’s degree in hospitality and is currently unemployed.

Singh is due back in court on January 27th and must post the $1,000 he needs for bond to be released.