Helicopter trashed by vandals, burglarized in Northeast El Paso

El Paso Police are still looking for burglars who vandalized a maintenance helicopter and a jet fuel tanker in the Franklin Mountains in northeast El Paso on Wednesday.

The interior of the Heliqwest “Ranger” had been sprayed with the helicopter’s fire extinguisher. All of the chopper’s windows and its windshield were smashed. Written on the nose of the chopper were two words: “Sorry Punk.”

Morning hikers were shocked and baffled by the find.

“Are we dehydrated or or is the sun getting to us,” hiker Joshua Acosta asked himself.

Every window in the fuel tanker had been broken, along with its mirrors. The tanker had to be towed down the mountain because its tires were popped.

Police have not released an estimate for the damage. They say items were stolen from the helicopter and the tanker making the crime a burglary as well. Police said they have not made any arrests.