Man Shines Laser on White Oblong Object. Object Emitted Beam of Light.

Location of Sighting: Burlington, Vermont
Date of Sighting: May 17, 2016
Time of Sighting: 10:30 PM to 11:00 PM EDT

Updated May 21, 2016: Listen to 38 Minute Follow-Up Interview With Witness

Summary of Interview: Apparently the witness was visited by 2 “agents” who said that they were FBI agents. However, they did not show their badges. They collected both of his cell phones and returned one of the phones the next day. (The phone showed up in his mailbox.) The “agents” wanted to know if the witness experienced anything unusual and his response was that he saw nothing unusual. He erased the photos on his cell phone when he saw the agents coming to his door. Some people are commenting that the witness drilled a hole in the stone. This is highly unlikely as these stones will fragment if drilled or dropped. The witness referred to the stones as “slate stones” that he purchased from Home Depot. So far I have been unable to find any additional witnesses to this event and nothing has been presented in the media. The witness said that he would take soil samples and send the stone to me. The witness is very paranoid about any publicity and wishes that he never would have reported the event. Apparently his neighbors have been “tight lipped” about the event. However, given that the event occurred at 11 PM on a chilly night on a weekday it is unlikely that many people may have seen the object. I urge readers to keep an open mind on this case until all of the evidence has been analyzed. Keep in mind that I requested that the witness take the photos. If he fabricated the sighting, he would have likely volunteered the photos.

Description: An electrical engineer was outside having a cigarette. He at once noticed a bright white oblong object flying from west to east. The object flew right over his house and then towards Lake Champlain. The object was estimated to be the size of a city bus and was estimated to be about 500 feet over the witness’s house. The witness was convinced that the object was not a plane, helicopter or drone. The man felt his “hair standing on end” like there was electricity in the air. The witness had a red laser pointer light on his key chain. He shined the laser on the object. The object was moving slowly, but stopped when the laser light was shown. The witness couldn’t see the laser light reflecting off of the object. The object at once stopped and shot a white-yellow beam of light close to the witness’s feet and the light burned a hole through a paving stone and into the ground below. (See above photo collage.) The witness scurried into the house right after the light burned the hole through the stone into the ground. He called and reported his sighting and later retrieved the stone (at my request). He took the stone into his house and the stone was very hot. This was about one-half hour after the hole had been burned. (The temperature outside was about 45 degrees F.) The witness then took photos of the ground below the stone. (See above photo collage.) He said that he saw the object for only about 45 seconds, but that it returned later and hovered over his house for several minutes.

The witness noticed strange individuals gathering outside his house and was terrified of them as they seemed to be watching him in his house. He also saw a police car across the street with flashing lights. The witness was afraid to go outside as the individuals looked suspect. (They were wearing hoodies and had backpacks on.) I requested that the witness take samples of the burned area and area surrounding it. He said that he took the samples and then the next message stated that they “were taking my phone.” He also saw a large black car parked by the Elks Club across the street. The witness texted the photos to my cellphone. A few minutes later he texted that they “were taking my phone.” He then stated that the FBI “collected his evidence.” I then received a text saying that the phone number was no longer in service. The witness saw a similar object about 4 months ago.

NOTE: Either this was a well perpetuated hoax or a very compelling close encounter with a UFO. The witness was afraid to call the police because he has a responsible job. He is an electrical engineer and contracts with other companies. He has his own business. He is also married and has kids. He is 48 years old and has never seen anything like this. He said that he was in good physical and emotional health. The witness had not discussed the incident with his family.

Update – June 3, 2016:
It has been said in UFO circles that “what goes up, must come down.” This case appears to be an outright hoax or the witness may be delusional.

Here is what has transpired:
The witness promised to send me the stone and samples of the soil. I texted him a few days later and he said that he mailed the package with the stone and the samples. He said that he insured the package, but when I asked him for the tracking number he refused to provide it. Then he said that he believed that the postal service lost his package.

He claims to have been harassed by 2 men in dark suits for several days. He also claims that his neighbors were also harassed by these “alleged” agents. He says that he was visited by others including people identifying themselves as ufologists. When I pressed him for getting in contact with his neighbors he said that they were all “tight lipped” also. There is absolutely nothing in the local media regarding the incident. I have received no comments from other witnesses.

The only perplexing detail of this case is that the witness took photos at my request and did not volunteer them. Given this scenario I felt that the photos may have been authentic. He claims that two men entered his house shortly after the incident and took 2 of his cell phones. They identified themselves as FBI agents, but did not show badges. One cell phone had the photos, but he said that he deleted them before the visitors arrived. The next day one cell phone was returned to him via his mailbox.

The evidence in this case is quite anecdotal quite like many UFO cases whether they be biologists who claim to have dissected aliens or whistle blowers who claim to have seen Presidents talking to aliens. These cases make good “talk show” and TV material, but they lack forensic evidence. Some in fact may be true, but these types of cases weigh heavily on the efficacy of the witness.

Perhaps the witness did get harassed by “unknown” agents and they took the package, but my belief is that the witness never mailed the package. The details of his report just don’t add up. He absolutely refuses to provide his address.

Update June 5, 2016: MUFON researcher Steve Reichmuth has the following comments in how the witness could have fabricated the “hole” in the stone:

Many witnesses lie. Plain and simple. Ufology is filled with them unfortunately. I looked at the same stone at a local Home Depot in their garden center. It is about 1.25 inches thick and poured into a mold made of concrete with a colored die added for the slate color said the sales person. It is possible also to buy the mix and pour your own. Hmm.

The hole in the photo on first glance is impressive, but no scorch or heat marks anywhere seen in photos if there was heat. One can easily also make a female mold of the same stone, pour up a wax raised area in layers in center of the female mold like the photo shows and make a kind of island in middle then simply pour a new casting out of same material. The concrete during curing will even heat up the wax too after it has mostly set, making the pour look even smooth like it was melted. LOL. So faking it is easy if UFOologists take their blinders off to ‘see’ instead of just ‘look’. That’s one possible theory. The witness didn’t want to pay for the heavy weight of shipping too. (The store example weighed at least 2 pounds or more estimated.) Witness doesn’t have a tracking number, because if he sends he will be found out forensically.

Response to above comment: The witness could have shipped the stone in a priority mail box for a reasonable cost. The postal service has the protocol: If it fits, it ships!

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