A 14 year old boy has been arrested following a laser pen attack on the Police helicopter. It happened at 11pm last night (19th August) when the helicopter was repeatedly targeted with a green laser pen. The crew on board used specialist equipment to direct Officers on the ground to the address in Bradford and the teenager was arrested on suspicion of endangering the safety of an aircraft and a laser pen seized. He has been bailed pending enquiries.
Passenger aeroplanes flying into Leeds Bradford Airport were also targeted last night in separate incidents with reports of lasers being shone at them from the Leeds, Wakefield, Huddersfield, Dewsbury and Bradford areas. The Police helicopter spent some time monitoring the aircraft coming into the airport to ensure their safety.
John Whittaker who leads the West Yorkshire Police Air Support Unit said:
Shining a laser at an aircraft is very serious and potentially very dangerous. As well as putting the pilot and crew in danger, it can also delay the helicopter from dealing with jobs where time is of critical importance.
We take every single attack very seriously.
