The City of Kawartha Lakes Police Service is seeking the public’s assistance in identifying the person responsible for pointing a laser beam light at a small aircraft flying over Lindsay.
On Monday (April 22) at around 9 p.m., a pilot was flying his small aircraft over Lindsay. As the plane began to descend and turn towards the runway at the Lindsay airport, the pilot observed a green laser beam light pointed from the ground towards the wing of his plane.
The pilot believed the light was coming from the area of Northlin Park Road, Langton Place, Wood Court, or the Westwood Court neighbourhood of Lindsay.
Laser light directed at aircraft can be a hazard by causing distraction or temporary flash blindness to a pilot during a critical phase of flight, such as landing or takeoff. Intentionally shining a laser at an aircraft is an offence under the Aeronautics Act and penalties upon conviction include up to $100,000 in fines and/or up to five years in prison.
It is also a federal offence in Canada to possess a hand-held laser over 1 milliwatt (mW) in public areas within a 10-kilometre radius of any airport and certified heliport, with penalties up to $5,000 for an individual.
Anyone who has information about this incident is asked to telephone the City of Kawartha Lakes Police Service at 705-324-5252 or email Sergeant Dave Murtha at dmurtha@klps.ca.
If you wish to provide your information anonymously, you can do so through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or online at www.khcs.ca.
