Police Warning After Laser Shone at Helicopter in Warwick

Warwickshire Police are warning of the dangers after a laser beam was shone at a helicopter flying over Warwick.

Police were called to Rothwell Road shortly before 10.30pm yesterday (Wednesday) following a report of a laser being shone at a police helicopter.

Officers attended and a 27-year-old man from Redditch was arrested on suspicion of shining a laser beam toward an aircraft and possession of a bladed article. He remains in police custody at this time.

A 25-year-old man from Leamington was also arrested and issued a caution for an offence under Section 4 of the Public Order Act.

No damage was caused to the helicopter but we are now reminding the public that shining a laser beam at any, land/water vehicle or aircraft is not only a criminal offence but can be dangerously distracting to the pilot, with potentially serious consequences.

Enquiries are currently ongoing and officers are asking anyone who was in the area at the time or witnessed any suspicious activity to get in touch.

Anyone with information is asked to call 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 quoting incident 519 of 6 May.