Draper Couple Warns Community About Suspicious Drone Encounter

Invasion of Privacy Raises Concerns

A Draper couple, Drew and Lorene Joosten, are alerting their neighbors after a disturbing incident involving a drone outside their home. The drone, with its green lights pointed towards their windows, hovered for about two minutes before moving on to neighboring houses, leaving the Joostens unsettled and suspicious of the operator’s intentions, reports KSLTV.

Police Investigate, Urge Residents to Report Similar Incidents

The couple reported the incident to the Draper Police, who dispatched officers to investigate but could not locate the drone operator. Lt. Mike Elkins noted a similar occurrence at a local hotel, where a drone appeared to move from window to window. While not officially connecting the two incidents, police are concerned about the behavior, which Elkins described as “a huge invasion of people’s privacy” and “actually against the law,” falling under Utah’s trespassing code.

Elkins encouraged anyone experiencing a concerning drone encounter to report it to the police, acknowledging the challenge of finding the operator, who can be far from the drone’s location. He also urged drone operators to familiarize themselves with rules and laws, cooperate with neighbors, and refrain from engaging in creepy behavior.

Couple Speculates on Possible Motives

The Joostens expressed unease about the potential reasons behind the drone peering into their home, with Drew suggesting it could be a “‘peeping tom,’ a voyeur just looking to see if they can see anybody in one of the windows” or “somebody who is checking out houses as potential burglary sites.”

Lorene Joosten emphasized the importance of respecting others’ privacy, stating, “It’s really not OK to be looking into people’s windows.”

Community Vigilance and Awareness

As the Joostens share their experience with neighbors through social media posts, the Draper community is becoming more aware of the potential risks associated with drones and the need for vigilance in reporting suspicious activities to local authorities.

This incident in Utah serves as a reminder for drone operators to use their devices responsibly and for residents to remain alert and proactive in safeguarding their privacy and security.

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