I am not going to go into the rights and wrongs of the Police using Helicopters, I am sure if the Telegraph(MP's Expenses) did an audit on every flight to see what came out of it there would be more rantings to get them out of the sky. I personally think if they've saved one life then they are worth it but my point is simply this. They cost a fortune to lease/buy, insure, equip with the latest technology, service, crew and finally hourly fuel burn. It was quoted earlier about 900 hours and >£400K. Now taking all this into mind, why would you not make sure that such a fragile expensive asset is properly protected on the ground. What did it cost to build a 4 ft wall relative to erecting a steel fence with razor wire. Even if it was more expensive surely the means justify the end...well they do on reading this story. Don't see our Romani friends going into the carpark at the local station and doing the same to cars. As for Jeyteeto's comment " Big electric fences and security cost lots of money. Guess what??? Senior officers don't have lots of money. " Thats the most pathetic thing I've read on PPrune for a long time If you're going to do a job do it right, make the area secure and not for lots of money. Why not get the heli, don't service it and take civilians up for their birthday that might help the cost. PATHETIC do it right or not at all!