ABLE laser incident

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PStuart
Posts: 108
Joined: Sun May 14, 2006 1:33 am

ABLE laser incident

Post by PStuart »

Anybody catch this on the air?

PDF version

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Mónica Muñoz
May 5, 2008 (619) 531-2675

MAN ARRESTED FOR LASER VIOLATION

(San Diego) At about 10 p.m. on May 1, 2008 the crew of the San Diego Police Department helicopter ABLE was involved in a laser incident. While on random patrol over the Mission Valley area, ABLE was struck with a red laser light from someone on the ground.

The incident occurred as ABLE was flying westbound, adjacent to Interstate 8 and the Mission Valley Shopping Center. The pilot and tactical flight officer (TFO) both saw the red laser light being directed at the aircraft from the ground. It lasted for about 3-5 seconds. The source of the light was the river valley area to the west of 2500 Hotel Circle Place. It was approximately 1.5 miles away from ABLE’s position. ABLE moved into the general area and began searching with both the forward looking infrared (FLIR) and Nightsun spotlight.

The ABLE crew located a pickup truck parked under a large tree at the dead end of 2500 Hotel Circle Place. The truck was almost completely hidden by the tree. The TFO observed a heat source inside the truck using the FLIR. A patrol unit was directed to that location to contact the occupant of the truck. After a brief investigation, the patrol officers reported they had located a red penlight laser inside the truck. The officers arrested Larry Crober (DOB 1/1/52) for 247.5 PC; cited and released him in the field.

A DVD version of this incident is available at the SDPD headquarters front counter until 5 p.m. today (May 5, 2008).
brandon
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Location: Riverside County
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Post by brandon »

People that pull crap like this should dealt prison sentences IMHO.
Brian
Posts: 1454
Joined: Thu Oct 21, 2004 8:54 pm

Post by Brian »

Here is another Police Pilot story.


Laser prankster nabbed by victim-pilot
Hit twice on the same night by a laser beam, Mark Westwood, a helicopter pilot for the British police, found justice - and the man responsible.
Westwood was momentarily blinded by the beam, but kept control of his helicopter and turned his thermal imaging camera on the culprit. It turns out that 20-year-old Dean Bottomley had targeted the helicopter from his bedroom with a green laser pen and in moments, Westwood had his location locked. In minutes, police arrived and arrested Bottomley at his home.
Stating that he was "just having a laugh," Bottomley now faces a potential jail term of five years for admitting to endangering an aircraft and will contemplate that fact until his June 6 sentencing date.
"He knows he has been very stupid," offered his attorney.
Bottomley, who reportedly bought the laser pen on eBay, added, "I didn't realize just how serious it was."
N6ATF
Posts: 373
Joined: Sun May 15, 2005 1:36 pm

Post by N6ATF »

I didn't think the range was more than a few hundred feet on those red lasers.

Note to criminals: the police have better tech than you.
Rescue Pooh
Posts: 218
Joined: Mon Oct 25, 2004 9:59 pm

Post by Rescue Pooh »

Here's story from channel 8 along with video.

http://www.cbs8.com/story.php?id=127089
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