The Philadelphia Police Department has arrested Hank Tanner, 45, of Media, PA in connection with the laser pointer incident that took place at Citizens Bank Park back on July 25, 2009. Police also made four other related arrests, but would not release names of the men being held.
On the day of the incident the game between the Phillies and the St Louis Cardinals was halted for almost fifteen minutes while stadium crew members, security and outraged fans all searched the stands for the culprit. Umpires, players and coaches attempted to direct the search crew from the field (using laser pointers, nonetheless) towards the source based on the perceived angle of the fan's beam, which was somewhere behind the Phillies' dugout.
"Usually, a fan with a laser pointer is easily spotted by security or nearby fans and arrested on the spot," said Dale Higginsworth, head of Citizens Bank Park security. "It was a little embarrassing for us to not catch this person. We needed the help of fans."
This is where 12-year-old Phillies' backer Tommy Lenard comes in. The young fan was aboard U.S. Airways flight 498 from Charlotte, NC to Philadelphia and noticed a passenger sitting on the right side of the plane peering out the window and laughing heartily as the jetliner made its final approach into Philadelphia International Airport.
"The man was holding something and kept saying, 'Can you see it?'" said Lenard. "He was on a cell phone, which he shouldn't be doing anyway while the plane is in the air. And he had this real strong belly laugh."
Philadelphia's stadium complex is only a short distance from the city's airport where jetliners fly low just to the south of the Park during landings.
Lenard withheld his story until yesterday when, during his first day of school at Hannerhan Elementary School, the teacher talked to the class about the dangers of laser pointers.
"I went right home after school and told my parents about the guy on the plane and we called the police," said Lenard.
Tanner is believed to be the mastermind of the laser pointer plot, which, at this time, is said to have included up to four other individuals. Police say Tanner placed each accomplice on different planes with long range pointers all landing during the afternoon game. Security confirmed that the five men, including Tanner, match the number of targeted Cardinal players that were eventually "lasered" on that Saturday in July.
"These guys are good," said Detective Bob Gavinach, of the PPD. "This took months of planning and really good lasering. You don't see lasering like this anymore. Maybe in the mid 90's but not today."
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