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UK: "High powered" laser diverts police from 999 call

A police helicopter answering a 999 emergency call was diverted by a “high powered” green laser pointer as it flew near Coventry on September 28 2011. The helicopter was searching for intruders in a woman’s garden. A 16-year-old man and a 33-year-old man were arrested on suspicion of recklessly endangering an aircraft.

An air operations supervisor said “such acts defy belief.” He noted that police can easily locate laser offenders and ground units can arrive “very quickly.”

The Cambridge News said that in 2010, there were five incidents involving lasers being aimed at the Cambridgeshire police helicopter.

From the
Coventry Telegraph and the Cambridge News