Drone pilot arrested for dropping dye into nearby pools

A New Jersey man has been arrested by police for using his drone to drop damaging chemical dye into the pools of his neighbors.

The first incident was reported to Absecon Police on August 13 by a homeowner who noticed a drone hovering over their pool. The resident then saw the drone dropping a substance into the pool, which turned the water an alarming shade of green. Following this incident, similar complaints emerged from various other locations, including the Quality Inn in Galloway, where the owner reported the concrete pool base suffered damage due to the dye.

A joint investigation conducted by the Absecon Police, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), New Jersey State Police, and Galloway Township Police on September 1 tracked the drone’s path back from a motel pool to Comfort Solutions Heating and Cooling, a local business owned by Patrick Spina IV. The 45-year-old was subsequently arrested and is now facing multiple counts of criminal mischief for his involvement in these unlawful acts.

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While Spina’s motive behind these activities appears to be simply “pranking people,” the police investigation has revealed that the substance dropped from the drone into the pools was “Sea Dye.” It’s a material commonly used by water search and rescue services because its bright green pattern on the water can be seen for a mile or more, similar to that of a flare. However, the use of such a material in this context was not only illicit, but it also caused extensive damage to the affected pools.

The owner of Quality Inn, whose motel was targeted by Spina multiple times over the course of the summer, is reporting close to $20,000 in damages resulting from both stays canceled because of pool closures as well as the expenses incurred for draining and refilling the pool multiple times a week.

The authorities have urged any residents who may have fallen victim to similar activities to come forward and contact their local police agency to aid in ongoing investigations.

Read more: Drone pilot slapped with $1,900 fine for ‘complete disregard’ for the rules