PUNTA GORDA — Charlotte County Sheriff’s detectives filed more felony charges on a Punta Gorda man, this time for stealing stolen airplane parts and selling to a Fort Myers recycling business. Arrested was Joshua Shane Crider, 31, of the 2700 block of Bailey Avenue. The latest in a string of theft charges was first reported Aug. 6 when a deputy stopped a Ford Explorer at U.S. 17 and I-75 that was pulling a flatbed trailer with what appeared to be aircraft parts. Due to recent scrap metal thefts in the area, the deputy made a traffic stop. Crider said he was going to a scrap yard to sell the items and said he got the parts with permission from the owner of Shell Creek Airport, 39960 Washington Loop Road. A check with the owner revealed he did not give permission to Crider to take any items. The owner said he wanted the parts returned to the airport, which Crider did, and did not wish to pursue charges at that time. Value of the items on the trailer was $5,210.

However, detectives checked lists of area scrap metal dealers and discovered several aircraft type parts had been sold Aug. 2 to All Scrap Recylcing, 2021 Ortiz Avenue in Ft. Myers, also stolen previously from the Shell Creek Airport. Detectives met with the airport owner again and showed him photos of parts stolen valued at $6,237. These items included a propeller, a cowling flap ring, aircraft engine cylinders, and various other stolen metals. This time, the owner said he would pursue charges for both theft cases. Crider was arrested and taken to the Charlotte County Jail, where he remains on no bond. Detectives filed 14 charges.