JM 9-61.112
Except as precluded by JM 9-61.113, individual interstate and foreign motor vehicle theft cases involving exceptional circumstances may be considered for Federal prosecution if the local or State authorities are justifiably unable to institute a successful prosecution. Because of various other Federal prosecutive priorities, only a portion of the individual theft cases involving exceptional circumstances will qualify for Federal prosecution. In determining whether "exceptional circumstances" justifying Federal prosecution are present, the following examples may be considered illustrative but not exhaustive:
In addition to the above exceptional circumstances, because of an aircraft's normally large monetary value and its ability to be used to commit other serious Federal criminal offenses, such as drug smuggling, each interstate or foreign transportation of a stolen aircraft should be judged for possible Federal prosecution based on its own individual prosecutive merits.
[cited in JM 9-61.114]