El Monte police announced Monday morning that they had found it and retrieved a stolen plane at a Southern California airport.
In a social media post shared Monday morning, the department said officers on the overnight “cemetery” patrol shift responded to the airport after learning of the reported theft of the aircraft. Upon reaching the scene, they found a stolen plane from a sailor.
Photos shared by the department show the aircraft recovered. This is a small single engine plane, painted with red, yellow and purple stripes, marked with tail number N4182F. The aircraft looks like the Cessna, a model commonly used by flight schools and private pilots.
Stolen planes can be seen at San Gabriel Valley Airport. August 2025 (Elmonte Police)
Police rated the criminal execution team and “Team 1” patrol officers as recovering.
According to Los Angeles County Public Works, San Gabriel Valley Airport, just north of the 10th Highway, supports flight training, aircraft maintenance and fuel services, playing a “critical role in the integrated systems of general aviation airports.”
As of Monday, authorities had not released details on how the plane was stolen, whether someone was taken into custody, or how the plane ended at San Gabriel Valley Airport.
This is a developing story. Please check for updates.
