Lived in O'Hare airport for 3 months - arrested on Saturday

[underpants]

Economics degree from University of London
Started masters degree in hospitality management in 2018
Currently social media director for a cartoon bear
Former manager and analyst at Deloitte


California Man Lived Undetected at O’Hare Airport for 3 Months, Officials Say

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/19/us/aditya-singh-chicago-ohare.html

Among those passengers was Aditya Singh. But on Oct. 19, he did what few passengers had ever done: He walked off his aircraft, entered an airport and simply never left.

Mr. Singh, 36, of Orange County, Calif., who managed to avoid detection for three months at O’Hare International Airport, was arrested on Saturday and charged with impersonation in a restricted area of the airport and theft of less than $500, said the Chicago police public information officer Karie James.

Mr. Singh, who had flown from Los Angeles to O’Hare, one of the country’s largest airports, somehow managed to not be noticed as he roamed endlessly inside a network of walkways, waiting areas, restrooms and eateries that countless other passengers, pilots and employees pass through every day on their way to somewhere else.

A prosecutor in the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office said that Mr. Singh said he was “scared to go home due to Covid,” The Tribune reported.

[MineralMan]

1. That would be very easy to do in any major, multi-terminal airport.

Nobody notices people in airports. As long as you don't stay in one place for too long, you could do it without any problem.

You could live for a year at LAX without anyone noticing you.

[underpants]

2. The old - if you LOOK like your supposed to be there - thing

I have a relative who flew so much he probably did look familiar to the people in the Delta terminal

[UpInArms]

3. Reminded me of "The Terminal"

A great movie ...

https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0362227/


An Eastern European tourist unexpectedly finds himself stranded in JFK airport, and must take up temporary residence there.

[LastDemocratInSC]

5. You beat me to it. Tom Hanks, directed by Stephen Spielberg.

[BGBD]

4. But is it even against the rules?

The airport doesn't close, so is it really illegal just to wait there?

They charged him with impersonation and theft....all from having stolen an employees pass. Had he not done that, could they have even arrested him for anything?

[LastDemocratInSC]

6. Yes, for not taking a bath and wearing the same clothes for 3 months.

[underpants]

7. It mentions that in the article

An airport official with knowledge of the episode said there was no indication Mr. Singh left a secure side of the airport. This person also said the airport did not have a written policy stating the length of time after which a ticketed passenger must leave the airport.

Did he steal the ID? Is taking a shower the less than $500 theft?

I don’t know but I asked the same question you did.