The mayor of a New Jersey town has done little to reassure residents about repeated drone sightings after sharing a disturbing experience he’d heard about.
Mayor Mike Ghassali of Montvale took to Facebook to reveal what happened to a resident’s robot when they had a run-in with a mysterious drone hovering in the air – noting there was ‘sophisticated’ technology at play on December 15.
‘A highly respected, professional and trustworthy Montvale resident informed me with 100 percent certainty, that his son’s hobby drone attempted to follow one of the drones and it was “drone-jacked”.
‘He lost total control of his drone and it went disappearing into the air. It seems these are very sophisticated drones with counter offensive systems.’
However, what was meant to be an informative fact instead left locals more anxious and angered.
Many demanded for scientific proof while others accused the mayor of ‘fearmongering’.
‘Although I appreciate you bringing attention to this issue, I do think you need to stay with facts, not third hand rumors without proof. Can we provide this experiment on film with your drone?’ one challenged.
While another simply questioned: ‘Is that supposed to make us feel better?’
Mayor Mike Ghassali of Montvale took to Facebook to reveal what happened to a resident’s robot when they had a run-in with a mysterious drone hovering in the air – noting there was ‘sophisticated’ technology at play on December 15
‘With all due respect Mr Mayor Mike Ghassali, it seems putting up social media post, declaring emergency and during TV interviews is not resolving matter. How do we get this in front of the congressmen and senators of the state so they can get answers from the FBI?,’ one enraged Facebook-er wished to know.
A concerned local added: ‘So a nameless person with an alleged son with an alleged drone claims it was allegedly “clone-jacked”??? Please stop with the fear mongering and be more responsible.’
Demanding evidence, another said: ‘Where is the video of it happening?’
One local just commented: ‘Holy cow ‘while another added, ‘This is crazy’.
‘We need answers. What were they? Whose were they?,’ a Facebook user insistently probed.
Another asked: ‘What are the feds gonna do about it?’
‘Stop trying to create more panic and anxiety by declaring something you actually don’t have authority to do,’ one also noted.
Mayor Ghassali has notably not responded to any of the comments on the post or provided more information about the incident. DailyMail.com has approached the mayor for comment.
However, what was meant to be an informative fact instead left locals more anxious and angered. Many demanded for scientific proof while others accused the mayor of ‘fear mongering’
The mayor later told town residents that ‘there is still no information about the owners, operators, or origins of the drones, nor is there clarity on whether they are returning to their original launch points’
Two days before he shared the troubling episode, Mayor Ghassali also announced a ban on flying drones over his town
This photo provided by Brian Glenn shows what appears to be multiple drones flying over Bernardsville
Two days before he shared the troubling episode, Mayor Ghassali also announced a ban on flying drones over his town.
‘It’s now becoming a complete joke. The feds can’t control the air space, and yesterday my phone didn’t stop with drone sightings messages.
‘Granted, some were small planes but we did have actual drones on top of us. ‘So I am making an emergency declaration: NO FLY ZONE FOR DRONES over my town, Montvale.
‘FLY AT YOUR OWN RISK. Residents: Please do not discharge your weapons,’ he wrote on Facebook.
On December 19, a New Jersey military base revealed one of the sinister reasons behind ‘multiple’ drone incursions over the past year.
Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in Broadhurst County claims that the increased drone incidents are related to efforts to smuggle contraband into a federal prison within the base’s perimeter.
In recent months, the Garden State has been ravaged by thousands of unexplained drone sightings, as over 5,000 reports of unusual drone prevalence have been filed with federal law enforcement
The unauthorized drone use in years past has been linked to attempts to sneak contraband, including cell phones, cell phone accessories, weight loss supplements and other prohibited items into the facility
The base, commonly referred to as McGuire AFB, is home to a low-security facility, FCI Fort Dix Prison, which houses the largest inmate population of any federal prison in the US.
‘This year, there have been multiple drone detections, involving attempts to smuggle contraband into the federal correctional institution hosted on our base,’ base spokesperson Kitsana R. Dounglomchan told The War Zone.
However, Dounglomchan explains that the airspace directly above the joint base enforces ‘standing flight restrictions’, which prohibit drones or other aircrafts from operating without authorization.
The unauthorized drone use in years past has been linked to attempts to sneak contraband, including cell phones, cell phone accessories, weight loss supplements and other prohibited items into the facility.
The base, located about 18 miles south of Trenton, ‘takes each case seriously’ and ‘aggressively coordinates’ with local law enforcement to ensure the safety of the location.
Several countermeasures have been installed to detect unauthorized drone use over the restricted airspace, as many have tried to outsmart the military using darkening tactics to mute onboard lighting, making the drones harder to spot.
In recent months, the Garden State has been ravaged by thousands of unexplained drone sightings, as over 5,000 reports of unusual drone prevalence have been filed with federal law enforcement.
