Representative image of a helicopter.
Credit: iStock Photo
Bengaluru: Vital helicopter equipment was reported missing from the hangar of a Bengaluru-based helicopter management company, police said.
The theft was discovered on December 1 during a scheduled check by Venkatesh Sethu, Aircraft Maintenance Engineer at Chipsan Aviation Indocopters Pvt Ltd in Nallurhalli, Whitefield.
A collective control stick, rudder pedal blocks and cyclic control stick, belonging to Smart Wings Aviation Pvt Ltd, were stolen from the storeroom, the complaint stated.
Sethu said the parts were unlikely to have gone missing during official work and were probably stolen. He suspected an inside job, as no unknown persons had entered the premises.
The company sought urgent police action to trace the stolen components and identify the culprits. Authorities said losing such crucial controls is a serious concern for aircraft operation and aviation security.
Whitefield police have registered a case of theft and launched an investigation.
A senior police officer said there were no CCTV cameras near the storeroom, making the probe difficult. “We are analysing technical evidence to identify and trace the culprits. The equipment is valued at Rs 1 lakh,” the officer said.