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Attempted stowaway hid in jet's wheel well

Demetrice Hall, who was found barefoot and shirtless near a JetBlue plane at Orlando International Airport, allegedly tried to stow away to New York in the plane's wheel well.

By Ben Hooper
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ORLANDO, Fla., Sept. 19 (UPI) -- A Florida man crawled under an airport fence and climbed into an airplane's wheel well in an unsuccessful attempt to score a free ride to New York, police said.

Police said Demetrice Hall, 32, of Orlando, spent hours inside the wheel well of the JetBlue plane at Orlando International Airport Thursday before he climbed out and was spotted by airline workers.

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Hall, who was found shirtless, greasy and barefoot, initially claimed to be an airline mechanic whose ID badge had been stolen, but he admitted to police and FBI agents that he had unsuccessfully attempted to stow away in the plane for a free ride to New York.

Hall, whose motives for the unsuccessful attempt at free air travel were unknown Friday, was charged with trespassing, burglary and loitering. He was jailed in lieu of $1,500 bail.

Police said Hall had crawled under fence into a restricted area of the airport. His T-shirt was found abandoned near the plane while his socks and a lighter were found left behind in the wheel well.

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