New video shows the moment when a California man was arrested after allegedly hiding unnoticed at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport for three months because he feared the new coroan virus.
Images released by the Chicago Department of Aviation and obtained by the local FOX 32 Chicago branch show Aditya Singh, 36, dressed in what appears to be a brightly colored vest as he is approached by uniformed workers shortly before 11:30 am on January 16. Police or security officers are seen and within minutes Singh is searched and led away from the area, the video shows.
The Orange, California man was charged with felony, criminal trespass in a restricted area of an airport, and felony theft. He was released for electrical monitoring, but was ordered to stay away from the airport.
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At a hearing earlier this month, assistant state attorney Kathleen Hagerty said Singh was spotted by two United Airlines employees asking for identification, the Chicago Tribune reported. Singh lowered his mask and showed a badge that actually belonged to an operations manager at the airport who reported him missing in late October, Hagerty said.
The employees called the police, who took Singh into custody. Singh was “afraid to go home because of COVID,” Hagerty said, telling authorities he found the badge and that other passengers at the airport had fed him.
At approximately 11:21 am on January 16, 2021, Aditya Udai Singh 33 was arrested at O’Hare Airport and charged with impersonation in a restricted area of the airport, and theft of less than $ 500 (Chicago Police).
(Chicago Police)
An assistant public defender said Singh has no criminal record. She also said it was unclear why Singh, who is unemployed, came to Chicago or if he has ties to the area.
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Before granting Singh bail, Cook County Judge Susana Ortiz was clearly concerned that someone could stay in a secure area of the airport for so long without anyone noticing.
“The court finds these facts and circumstances quite shocking for the alleged period of time this occurred,” the judge said. “Because he is in a secure part of the airport under a false identity card, allegedly based on the need for airports to be absolutely secure so that people feel safe to travel, I find that those alleged actions have given him a endanger the community. “
Prosecutors later revealed that Singh had flown from Los Angeles to the Chicago airport on Oct. 20, but was too scared of COVID-19 to leave the airport, according to local news channel WMAQ-TV.
In addition to the badge, which Singh said he had discovered in the airport’s Terminal 3, the man was also found to have been in possession of ‘a large key ring with about 50 keys, a round bronze tag (REDACTED) and a clip for belt loop ‘said WMAQ, citing a police report.
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He would have told the police that he also found the keys in Terminal 3.
Singh told police he survived by “asking other passengers for money,” the report said. He is said to have been tormented about using up his money, saying he was “trying to figure out what his next move would be.”
His next court date is scheduled for March 2.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.