A new driving experience!
Posted on 08/27/2005 1:00:11 PM PDT by DocRock
Jet fuel truck stolen from airport
Theft of 2,000 gallons raises security concerns
Greenville, Kentucky
08/27/05
By Ryan Garrett
Messenger-Inquirer
GREENVILLE -- A truck carrying 2,000 gallons of jet fuel was stolen Thursday evening or Friday morning from the Muhlenberg County Airport, authorities said.
The Greenville Police Department still had few leads Friday evening, but officers did not think the theft was terrorist-related.
The department did, however, contact the Department of Homeland Security, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the FBI and other agencies as a precaution.
"We've talked to them," Detective Jonathan DeArmond said Friday. "They're following their procedures. ... We are going to follow all precautions to make sure all authorities locally, regionally and nationally are notified."
Most jet fuel is kerosene-based and burns at a high temperature, according to the Department of Energy. The airport was selling the fuel for $3.40 a gallon, making the truck's contents worth $6,800.
"The price of gas these days, who knows, someone could have mistaken it for regular gasoline," DeArmond said.
Police received a call that the white 1969 Ford F800 single-axle truck had been stolen at 9:58 a.m. But the airport, which is near the Kentucky 189 Bypass, is only staffed from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., so the truck may have been stolen Thursday evening, police said.
The truck was apparently driven through a 4-foot chain-link fence onto a gravel access road that runs along part of the airport property.
Danny Walker, chairman of the Muhlenberg County Airport Board, said the airport learned from an employee at a neighboring business Friday morning that the fence had been knocked down.
The airport soon discovered that the truck, which had been parked behind a hangar, was gone.
"More than likely, my assumption is that it's local and somebody wanted the fuel," Walker said. "They may have assumed that it was automobile gas, incorrectly."
Muhlenberg South High School was locked down for 20 minutes about 11 a.m. Friday after a caller reported seeing the truck parked at the school, Muhlenberg County Schools Superintendent Dale Todd said.
Some parents checked their children out of the school, he said.
Police found no sign that the truck had been there, DeArmond said.
A few miles away, Ensign-Bickford Aerospace and Defense employees were encouraged to be alert, but few extra precautions were taken, office administrator Almedia Johnson said. The plant in Graham manufactures defense-related products, including the Anti-Personnel Obstacle Breaching System, a two-man rocket-propelled weapon system designed to destroy anti-personnel mines and wire obstacles during military assault operations.
"The guard shack was notified, and he notified everybody else," Johnson said. "The security people were more on guard, but that's it."
Officials at the TVA power plant in Drakesboro were put on notice as well.
Walker said he expects the incident to provide some impetus for improving security at the airport. The chain-link fence is the airport's only nighttime security, he said.
"Small county, out here, we've had practically no problems at all," Walker said. "When something like this happens, there will be, I'm sure, some response, some money spent."
The airport soon will look to buy a new fuel truck if this one is not found, Walker said.
"Especially helicopters and some of the larger planes can't pull up to the tank and fill up like the smaller planes can," he said. "So it's crucial to our operation. We'll have to replace it if we can't find it."
Messenger-Inquirer Reporter David Blackburn contributed to this report.
I hope it's just some RedNeck tired of buying gas that tries to run their truck on it...
Security for GA airports isn't that hard to overcome.
They should assume it is terrorist related.
And in other news, a newly fueled red neck pick up truck ignited and was seen heading for Mars.
With the right additives, a diesel truck will run on jet fuel.
I wonder what would happen in someone fills their car with this stuff.
>>> With the right additives, a diesel truck will run on jet fuel.
I doubt the typical RedNeck would know that...
A new driving experience!
When I was a teenager a local redneck started putting diesel in his formerly gas powered tractor to keep me from siphoning it in the middle of the night.
I figured it out as soon as I took the gas cap off the tractor. I later heard that he mixed it with high grade gasoline, made a few carburator adjustments and it ran fine. I wasn't about to try it in a car though.
I heard it on the radio in Los Angeles, and they said that there is a concern that it could be used for terrorism.
At this point in time, I'd think they'd be ignorant not to think it could possibly terrorist activity.
Not on a fancy blend of kerosene.
Assuming the car is not a diesel, it would run poorly, if you could even start it.
I ain't very sure you know how to use the term... Redneck. Best you learn the difference between stupid white-trash and Redneck... or a typical Redneck might just kick your ying/yang up in your watch pocket.
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