The FBI launched an investigation after the thief finally shot down one of the four helicopters he had broken into at the Sacramento Private Airport.
Police said the suspect fled the scene and no one was injured.
The FBI’s Special Agent in Charge, Sean Ragan, says the collected evidence, information from witnesses and security footage point to a suspect in the case.
Federal agents are trying to figure out why the suspect wanted to steal the helicopter.
“Someone may have wanted to buy the aircraft for a tour. If they wanted to buy it for a different criminal activity or to damage other property, terrorism could be a possibility,” Ragan said.
According to the news of KCRA 3, the stolen Bell 429 heavy-duty helicopter belonging to Capitol Helicopters has many uses, including firefighting.
“Early this morning, several helicopters operated by our company were destroyed by an unknown person and one aircraft was seriously damaged,” Capitol Helicopters said in a statement.
The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are also investigating the case.