Fighter-jet engines 'stolen from Israeli base'

[Guest guest]

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/fighter-jet-engines-stolen-israeli-160138061.html

Fighter-jet engines 'stolen from Israeli base'

By Jack Guez | AFP – Mon, 13 Jun, 2011

Israel's military police on Monday opened an inquiry into the theft of airplane

parts, a spokeswoman said without confirming press reports that eight

fighter-jet engines had been stolen.

" The military police have opened an inquiry into the matter, " she told AFP

without giving further detail or confirming reports of the theft from Tel Nof

airbase near Tel Aviv.

Air force officials quoted in the Maariv newspaper said the stolen parts were

eight engines from F-15 and F-16 fighter jets which were taken from Tel Nof air

base.

They said it was not immediately clear when the theft took place, but said the

parts were no longer in use and had most likely been stolen for their value as

scrap metal, the paper said.

Investigators quoted by the paper said each engine weighed " several tonnes " and

could only have been taken away on large trucks, prompting speculation that the

thieves had help from inside the base.

Military officials quoted by Israel HaYom newspaper described the theft as " very

serious. "