April 10, 2009, There have been a number of incidents in the United Kingdom in which arriving and departing aircraft have been targeted by youth pointing handheld laser pointers. In 2008, there were 69 incidents. The UK police are using high tech equipment to track down these youth and are aggressively prosecuting them. The police are using equipment designed to tack laser strikes through the use of GPS technology. Patrolling police helicopters have been a big target of youth pointing handheld laser pointers.
Police helicopter pilots have reported when flying at low altitudes a laser strike can be blinding, “you can’t see anything” and it puts many people at risk. Bob Jones, head of flight operations at the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), said: "To those individuals targeting aircraft with laser devices the message is clear - don't. You will be caught and you will be prosecuted and you could spend up to five years in prison. These things are not toys, they pose a serious risk to all flight safety."