WATSONVILLE—The Watsonville Police Special Investigations Unit located a group of six neighborhood kids who admitted shining a powerful laser light at pilots several times over the past three weeks.
The kids, who ranged from 12-15, thought it would be “funny” to shine the laser at pilots, WPD spokeswoman Michelle Pulido said.
The detectives have confiscated the laser, she said.
The WPD is not pursuing charges against the young people, Pulido said, and is instead referring them to youth programs to keep them “busy and out of trouble.”
“Our officers had a very, very long conversation with the young kids and their parents,” she wrote. “The kids quickly realized the severity of their actions and apologized.”
Federal legislation makes it a federal crime to deliberately shine a laser at an aircraft, also known as laser strikes. People convicted of this crime can face up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
