FBI offers rewards to help stop laser pointing at airplanes

SAN DIEGO (CNS) – A reward of up to $10,000 will be offered for information leading to the arrests of people who aim laser pointing devices at aircraft, the FBI announced Tuesday, noting San Diego is among the top cities for such incidents.

Since the beginning of this year, there have been 22 laser strike incidents reported in the San Diego area, according to the FBI, which said there were 61 incidents in 2013.

Pointing lasers at aircraft in the sky can blind pilots and potentially cause a crash that could hurt those on the aircraft and others on the ground.

FBI analysis showed laser strikes most frequently occur between midnight and 7 a.m. In many cases, the strikes are being committed by teens and adults, age 35-45, who do not know it is against the law or how serious the consequences can be, according to the FBI.

Anyone with information about a laser strike was asked to call the FBI’s San Diego field office at (858) 320-1800 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477. Tipsters can also call 911 if they observe a laser strike while it is taking place.