17 year old arrested after flight targeted by laser
23.0910
The pilot of a plane carrying over 220 passengers and crew reported having the beam from a laser pen shone into his cockpit as he came in to land at Newcastle Airport last week. Durham Police were alerted on the evening of 15 September after the Jet2 flight from Crete came in to land.
The laser pen was later pointed at the crew of a police helicopter who went to investigate near Chester-le-Street. A 17 year old was arrested at a house in Howlett, Pelton Fell and released on bail pending further enquiries.
A Police spokesman said a number of incidents involving laser pens had been reported to Air Traffic Control at Newcastle Airport in the last few days. They believe someone from the Pelton Fell area brought a number of the pens back from abroad and they are trying to trace them.
A second laser pen has since been seized from an address in Grange Villa during a house search for an unrelated matter. Anyone with information is asked to telephone Durham Police on 0345 6060 365 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
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