There is a 2 phase shopping center development where I fly. The first phase is finished and has an Acadamy, Best Buy, etc in it but they just broke ground on phase 2 and right now it is just a huge field. I stopped there tonight after work to mess around some. I was minding my own business flying when a low rider pulled into the Acadamy parking lot and parked. The parking lot is 100 or so yards away, I dont fly over it.
A bunch of kids got out and were just hanging out talking for a while until one of them spotted my bird. I could here them talking about it but couldnt understand what they were saying completely. I brought the bird in closer to me to land and change batteries and I heard one of them say "there he is". A few minutes later as I was loading my Phantom into the case they drove up and five of them got out. They started asking the generic questions and I figured like most everyone else I encounter they were just curious. All of a sudden one of them said "what would you do if someone stole it" I told them it wouldnt matter because they would have to have my flight code (B.S), then another one said something like "what if we took it from you, what are you going to do about it?"
I realized they were serious and one of them went back to the truck and opened the door like he was getting something. I pulled out my Rugar (I have a concealed carry permit and always wear one when I come home from work). I told them they could either run, now, or they could wait for the police but either way the police would be called. Needless to say they hauled ***.
I immedietly called the police and withing 3 minutes an officer pulled up. I told him what happened and gave them a description of the truck. As he was getting my information and checking out my permit he got a call in that another officer had found them. After some time it turns out that when they got stopped the officer found a bunch of stolen stuff in the truck. The officer I was talking to told me that there had been some car break ins in the parking lot that they had been getting calls on and thats why he was so close and got there so fast when I called. Few minutes later another police car pulls up and sure enough two of them were in the back. Officer asked me if it was them and I said yes.
Apparantly the other 3 had run when they got pulled over. He asked me if I happened to have any video of the incident or any video of the parking lot where I might have caught them on video. I didnt because I wasnt over the parking lot and wasnt filming. By the time it was all said and done there were a total of 6 police cars around me and eventually it turned into a conversation about drones and the Phantom. One of them said he was looking into Walkera but I think I might have sold him on a Phantom lol.
This is probably one of the crazyest things that has ever happened to me.
A bunch of kids got out and were just hanging out talking for a while until one of them spotted my bird. I could here them talking about it but couldnt understand what they were saying completely. I brought the bird in closer to me to land and change batteries and I heard one of them say "there he is". A few minutes later as I was loading my Phantom into the case they drove up and five of them got out. They started asking the generic questions and I figured like most everyone else I encounter they were just curious. All of a sudden one of them said "what would you do if someone stole it" I told them it wouldnt matter because they would have to have my flight code (B.S), then another one said something like "what if we took it from you, what are you going to do about it?"
I realized they were serious and one of them went back to the truck and opened the door like he was getting something. I pulled out my Rugar (I have a concealed carry permit and always wear one when I come home from work). I told them they could either run, now, or they could wait for the police but either way the police would be called. Needless to say they hauled ***.
I immedietly called the police and withing 3 minutes an officer pulled up. I told him what happened and gave them a description of the truck. As he was getting my information and checking out my permit he got a call in that another officer had found them. After some time it turns out that when they got stopped the officer found a bunch of stolen stuff in the truck. The officer I was talking to told me that there had been some car break ins in the parking lot that they had been getting calls on and thats why he was so close and got there so fast when I called. Few minutes later another police car pulls up and sure enough two of them were in the back. Officer asked me if it was them and I said yes.
Apparantly the other 3 had run when they got pulled over. He asked me if I happened to have any video of the incident or any video of the parking lot where I might have caught them on video. I didnt because I wasnt over the parking lot and wasnt filming. By the time it was all said and done there were a total of 6 police cars around me and eventually it turned into a conversation about drones and the Phantom. One of them said he was looking into Walkera but I think I might have sold him on a Phantom lol.
This is probably one of the crazyest things that has ever happened to me.