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Police helicopter attack foiled
Merseyside Police have foiled an attack on their Air Support Unit helicopter.
According to reports, several men broke into the aircraft's base at RAF Woodvale during the late evening of October 9.
The men reportedly shattered the windscreen of the Eurocopter EC135 and began pouring petrol into the aircraft before they were caught in the act and forced to make a getaway.
They fled RAF Woodvale in a Mitsubishi Shogun used to smash the fence. The men abandoned it outside the base and leaped into an Audi A4 with blacked-out windows.
Police then saw the gang swap cars again, fleeing in a black Audi S8. The three men were arrested after a chase through Birkenhead tunnel on Merseyside when their vehicle hit a police car, which burst into flames.
Supt Jonathan Roy of Merseyside Police said: "Officers from Merseyside Police have launched a far-reaching investigation after the force helicopter was targeted on Friday night."
This is the third reported attack on a UK Police Helicopter this year. In May the Surrey Police helicopter was attacked with axes at Fairoaks Airfield forcing the constabulary to move the aircraft to Odiham, while in June, the West Midlands Police aircraft was destroyed at Birmingham Airport. A replacement aircraft has already been ordered.
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