Man scared of COVID-19 hid himself inside Chicago airport for 3 months

Gulf Today Report

A California man who was too scared to go home because of COVID-19, devised a novel idea to bide his time until the pandemic ends.

He chose a place as secure as Chicago's O'Hare International Airport and managed to stay there for three months without being identified by anyone.

Luckily Aditya Singh, 36, found a badge that actually belonged to an operations manager at the airport which helped him stay inside the airport for such a long period, reported local media.

His luck deserted him when he was spotted by two United Airlines employees, who asked him for identification.

Singh lowered his mask and showed a badge, officers however knew that an operations manager had already reported about this same missing badge.

Singh is charged with felony criminal trespass to a restricted area of an airport and misdemeanor theft after he was arrested Saturday. At a court hearing on Sunday, a judge ruled that the Orange, California, man could be released if he paid $1,000, but said that Singh was prohibited from setting foot in the airport.

As of Monday morning, Singh remained in the Cook County Jail.

Assistant Public Defender Courtney Smallwood said Singh does not have a criminal record. She also said it was unclear why Singh, who is unemployed, came to Chicago or if he has ties to the area.

Before she granted Singh bail, Cook County Judge Susana Ortiz was clearly troubled that someone could remain in a secured area for so long at the airport without anyone noticing.

"The court finds these facts and circumstances quite shocking for the alleged period of time that this occurred,” the judge said.

Singh is scheduled to return to court Jan. 27.