CHATHAM, NJ — The mystery in the skies over New Jersey continues.
A law enforcement official said flying objects were spotted over critical infrastructure, while residents have reported seeing some hovering over their homes in the northern and central parts of the state.
“Their presence seems nefarious in nature”
The FBI is investigating the clusters of possible drones reported in recent weeks. The agency is still asking residents to submit photos and videos. Anyone with information can call the FBI at 1-800-CALLFBI, or register online here.
The Florham Park police chief sent a message to residents saying drone sightings have been reported over “water reservoirs, electrical transmission lines, train stations, police departments and military installations.”
He added that “their presence seems nefarious in nature.”
Local police say there is no immediate threat to the population, but all eyes remain on the sky.
Residents describe the objects and how they move
“It looked like a huge drone. It definitely wasn’t an airplane because it was too low, and it was also flying back and forth and then forward and backward,” said Chatham resident Melissa Koscielniak.
Koscielniak took cellphone video from her Morris County home Wednesday evening. She said a large object with flashing red and green lights was hovering just above her neighbors’ rooftops.
“I think what’s scary is not that it’s just a drone, it’s that they’re so big,” Koscielniak said.
“To me they look like a small car. Their wingspan is probably seven feet wide,” said Mark Taylor, mayor of Florham Park.
Florham Park is a town north of Chatham.
“People call myself home. You know, it’s one of those things they worry about,” Taylor said.
In Somerset County, officials had to cancel a helicopter medical transport last week after drones were spotted near the landing area.
Some Garden State residents said they are starting to worry.
“So for some reason, like I think about terrorism, which is very morbid,” Chatham resident Anna Macias-Mosberg said.
Unidentified objects have also been spotted over Staten Island
New Springfield resident Walter Ziegler said he first noticed the cluster of “six or seven” on Monday.
As a former sergeant in the Air Force, he said he knew they weren’t planes or helicopters.
“These things had a light in the middle and a red light at each end and were not moving, they were not a fixed-wing aircraft,” Ziegler said.
Ziegler said the objects he saw were in the flight path of Newark Liberty International Airport.
“As the plane approached, the drone’s lights went out. As the plane passed, the lights came back on,” Ziegler said. “That’s dangerous.”
The FAA released a statement Thursday saying in part: “We investigate all reports of unauthorized drone operations and conduct investigations when appropriate. Drone operators who conduct unsafe operations that endanger other aircraft or people on the ground could face fines of up to $75,000.”
Nick Caloway
