Lasers 'deliberately target' naval helicopters in Somerset

[mhm]

Military helicopter crews flying out of their Somerset base are being targeted "deliberately" by people shining laser pens and pointers at them.

RNAS Yeovilton said the latest incident involved a Lynx helicopter flying over the Taunton area but the base said it was happening "more frequently".

Cdr Neil Thompson said such actions not only risked the lives of aircrew but those on the ground as well.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-24743156

One of my pet hates is this. Catch the idiots and give minimum sentence of 10 years hard labour.

[viking9]

They just need to send a few Booty patrols out to catch them and give them a bit of 'corrective treatment'. That should stop them.

[corsa]

The sooner that happens the better !!!

Tom

[Gyzmok]

A month ago, here in Belgium they caught someone in the act.
There was a nightly coordinated mission with police helicopters and several F16's.

In dutch :
http://nieuws.vtm.be/binnenland/61547-man-gevat-die-met-laser-naar-f16-scheen

[mhm]

For those who don't understand the article.

Police have a man (25) from Maasmechelen arrested who had shone a laser pen. Flying to F16s It was a large-scale action of the federal prosecutor. Five police took part.

Monday and last night increased power has Kleine-Brogel several F16s on to fly over. Maasland Also, a police helicopter was in the air. In this way did the police identify suspects in recent months with a laser pen shone the aircraft. Pilots of the military airbase faced a few times with laser incidents.

[viking9]

Why didn't the F-16s just slot them instead of the police bothering to arrest them?