FBI: We'll Give You $10,000 to Report People Who Point Lasers at Planes

The Federal Bureau of Investigation wants to slap more handcuffs on people who aim laser pointers at airplanes.

Beaming a handheld laser has been a federal crime since 2012, but on Tuesday, the FBI announced a program that will reward individuals with $10,000 who provide information leading to the arrest of anyone who has targeted an airplane with a laser pointer. The program will last for 60 days in 12 regional offices ranging from New York City to Albuquerque, N.M.

“Shining a laser into the cockpit of an aircraft can temporarily blind a pilot, jeopardizing the safety of everyone on board,” said Michael Huerta, the administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, in a statement on the FBI's website. “We applaud our colleagues at the Justice Department for aggressively prosecuting aircraft laser incidents, and we will continue to use civil penalties to further deter this dangerous activity.” Read more...