Fake Italian pilot traveled in cockpit, police say

[rolleyes]

Fake Italian pilot traveled in cockpit, police say

By Naomi O'Leary
ROME | Sat Sep 22, 2012 8:17pm EDT

(Reuters) - A man who posed as an airline pilot and traveled in the cockpit of at least one plane was arrested in Turin Airport using forged identity cards and wearing a pilot's uniform, Italian police said on Saturday.

The 32-year-old, whose real name was not released, allegedly created a fake identity as a Lufthansa pilot named "Andrea Sirlo," complete with a Facebook page that included fake flight attendant friends.

Police said they were alerted several months ago after "Sirlo" introduced himself as a captain to a Civil Aviation lieutenant, who became suspicious because he seemed too young for the job.

The national military police tracked down the suspect from photos on his Facebook profile, in which he is shown posing in uniform and sunglasses in front of airplanes.

He was arrested in the check-in area of Turin Airport on Friday.

Police said "Sirlo" had traveled for free on at least one flight as a "third pilot" sitting in the cockpit. They were investigating whether he had flown as an imposter at other times.

Lufthansa declined to comment on whether one of their flights had been involved and said it was a matter for the police.

At a press conference, police displayed a white shirt with epaulettes and a black double-breasted jacket with pilot stripes sewn on the cuffs. They said they also seized fake resumes, airline badges and an airport staff parking permit.

Turin Airport said in a statement it had not issued any permits in the name of the person involved.

A profile on a website where users can track their flights shows "Pilot Andrea Sirlo" flying from Munich Airport to Turin on October 23, 2011. (here)

Munich Airport did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The case recalls the 2002 film "Catch Me If You Can," in which Leonardo DiCaprio played Frank Abagnale, a real-life con man who is said to have flown more than 1,600,000 kilometers (1 million miles) as a fake Pan American pilot in the 1960s.

'Sirlo' is the name of a flight corridor over Turin.

(Reporting by Naomi O'Leary; Editing by Xavier Briand)

 

[ChaoKuan]

Sneaky Chao red hair.

 

[rolleyes]

Italian police catch fake pilot Andrea Sirlo


Italian police catch fake pilot Andrea Sirlo
By Alison Godfrey September 24, 2012 7:06AM

Lufthansa have refused on comment on claims a fake pilot flew in the cockpit of one of their planes. Picture: Getty Images Source: Supplied

A man known as "Sirlo" allegeldy used a fake pilot's uniform to access secure areas of airports and post the photos on Facebook. Picture: Facebook

FIRST Officer Andrea Sirlo, 32, had 400 Facebook friends. He delighted them with photos of himself in his pilot's uniform standing in front of planes in secure areas of airports around the world with his aviators on. In one photo he is shown waving from inside the cockpit of a commercial aircraft.

The problem was “Sirlo” wasn’t a pilot at all. He made the uniform at home.

And he didn’t just his brag on Facebook. Using his fake uniform Sirlo managed to collect several identity cards, an airport staff parking card and airline training manuals.

He allegedly flew in the cockpit as a “third pilot” free of charge on an Air Dolomiti plane from Munich to Turin in April.

Air Dolomiti is part of the German airline Lufthansa. They insist he could not have boarded the plane without a ticket. But have so far refused to make any further comment. Police are now investigating whether “ Sirlo” flew on any other flights.

“Sirlo’s” fake life began to unravel when introduced himself as a captain to a civil aviation lieutenant. It’s one thing to boast to Facebook friends, but another entirely to lie to a real pilot.

The lieutenant thought he was too young to be a captain and alerted police. “Sirlo” is actually the name of a flight corridor over Italy.

The man known as Sirlo was arrested this weekend at Turin Airport. When police found him he was sipping coffee in the check-in lounge wearing a pilot’s uniform with no company logo on it.

He told police he wanted to be like Leonardo DiCaprio in the film Catch Me If You Can.

In the film DiCaprio plays real-life con man Frank Abagnale who reportedly flew one million miles on over 250 flights as a fake Pan American pilot in the 1960s.

"I saw that film and I wanted to be like Frank Abagnale," he reportedly told police.

The man has been charged with attempting to threaten air security and assuming a false identity.