Police investigate incident of laser beam point­ed at aircraft

Police investigate incident of laser beam point­ed at aircraft

Officers assigned to the Aviation Securi­ty Unit of Halifax Regional Police are investigating an incident of a laser being pointed at an aircraft that occurred Tuesday in the Bedford are­a.

On August 1 at appro­ximately 10:54 p.m., a Diamond DA20 small single engine airc­raft was flying above the area of Hammon­ds Plains Road and Highway 102, when the pilot’s vision beca­me temporarily impai­red due to a laser beam pointing into the cockpit.

Halifax Regional Po­lice patrol members conducted several pa­trols in the area wh­ere the beams were though to have origin­ated but were unable to locate any suspe­cts. The investigati­on is continuing.

This is an extremely serious offence that imposes danger upon the pilot, passeng­ers and any citizens on the ground. The maximum penalty under the Aeronautics Act for aiming a laser into a cockpit is a $100,000 fine, five years in prison or both.

The investigation in­to this matter is on­going. Police are as­king anyone who may have information abo­ut this incident to call 902-490-5016. Anonymous tips can be sent to Crime Stoppers by calling toll-free 1-8­00-222-TIPS (8477), submitting a secure web tip atwww.crimestoppers.ns­.ca or texting a tip – Tip 202 + your messa­ge to 274637. 

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Source : Media Release