Residents and business owners in New Jersey were terrorized by a local prankster who police say used a drone to turn their pool water neon green.
Authorities say they arrested Patrick Spina IV, 45, from Absecon, New Jersey, on Monday in connection to the case.
Residents and businesses in the Absecon and Galloway areas of New Jersey had been reporting the suspicious activity since June 22 when their pools mysteriously began to change color.
The Quality Inn in Galloway Township was a victim of the prankster after their pool was colorized a dozen times during the summer.
‘I went into my office and I had a meltdown,’ Owner Sandra Woolstion told ABC7 about the continued prank.
Residents and businesses in the Absecon and Galloway areas of New Jersey had been reporting the suspicious activity since June 22 when their pools mysteriously began to change color
Sandra Woolstion is the owner and general manager of the Quality Inn and she said she had a meltdown because of the repeated prank
The first time the prank happened at the motel was in late June. Woolstion said she thought it was algae that turned the pool neon, while the staff found a dye pack at the bottom of the pool, but didn’t know what it was.
She would have the pool drained and cleaned – each time costing her thousands of dollars.
She estimated between the cleanings and canceled stays because of no pool, she lost $20,000 this summer.
But, repeatedly, she would look out to see the pool dyed from a new pack. That left guests, including children, upset they couldn’t use the pool.
‘The girls are standing here like, “Oh my God we want to go swim.” Some of them were crying,’ Woolstion said.
The Quality Inn was hit again Friday, but this time police partnered with the FAA to track the drone to a Comfort Solutions Heating and Cooling across the White Horse Pike. There, authorities arrested the owner, Spina.
Authorities described the motive as a prank.
The motel wasn’t the only place hit by the alleged prankster. Police in communities surrounding Atlantic City received calls from swimming pool owners who all had similar complaints.
‘We had a resident who was enjoying time in his pool and saw a drone over top and the drone actually dropped something in his pool and it turned green immediately,’ Absecon Police Chief James Laughlin told the news station.
Authorities arrested Patrick Spina IV, 45, in connection to the ongoing prank in the Atlantic City area
Woolstion had the pool drained and cleaned – each time costing her thousands of dollars
The motel wasn’t the only place hit by the alleged prankster. Police in communities surrounding Atlantic City received calls from swimming pool owners who all had similar complaints
The sea dye that Spina used to transform the color of the pool water is usually used by search and rescue teams and can be damaging to pools.
The same dye is used to attract the attention of sea-rescue services because of the bright neon fluorescent color it dyes the water.
Spina was arrested for multiple counts of criminal mischief and harassment which put an end to his summer-long stint of terrorizing residents and businesses in his area.
He could face charges of up to $30,000 including punishments for conducting unsafe operations with the drone he used.