Page 36 - 200806 - The 'X' Chronicles Newspaper - June 2008

36 From The ‘X’ Zone Newsroom 36 From The ‘X’ Zone Newsroom tephenville UFO War waged on conmen S Stephenville UFO "military sleeve." Where's the data? Meanwhile, War waged on conmen it's mostly recognized that UFO sightings are r report out eventually identified. James Fox, UFO who target the elderly eport out who target the elderly filmmaker, believes as many as 95 percent are by Neil Atkinson by Neil Atkinson eporternews.com r reporternews.com identified and he has been known to say it's the other 5 percent we should be worried about. The world waited for Mutual UFO What the report does not say is which IT’S war on the conman! A new Kirklees Council campaign is Network's (MUFON) official report on the cases were not identified or give any exact aimed at families, carers and friends of older Stephenville unidentified flying objects. numbers. people to advise them on how to stop them And waited. And waited. Cherry has been quoted as saying most falling prey to cash scams. That was cool. That meant a lot of work of the people in Erath County saw planets, stars A scam is a scheme to con someone out was going on and State Director Ken Cherry or clouds. Maybe, but where's the data? What of their cash. They often take the form of bogus and Chief Investigator Steve Hudgeons were planets and stars did they see? It would seem and fraudulent offers sent by post, phone or pouring through hundreds of eyewitness easy for an untrained observer to make that email. accounts, plotting on maps, coordinating radar mistake. Fake lottery and prize draw wins, data, and organizing field investigators. The Doppler radar information provided foreign money offers, bogus psychic Finally, the report was forthcoming in by William Puckett for the official report was predictions, ‘get rich quick’ investments and the May edition of the MUFON Journal. interesting. Puckett apparently found an object miracle health cures are some of the tricks that Eagerly, those of the UFO community as well as that piqued his interest at 6:34 p.m. Jan. 8. It fraudsters use to con victims out of money. those not so familiar began scouring the was something that was not using a transponder Clr Khizar Iqbal, who chairs the document. and something that did not show 10 minutes Kirklees Safer Stronger Communities For what? before or 10 minutes after this time period. Partnership, said: “We would urge anyone who To find out, the Stephenville Puckett is quoted as saying, "I found a cares for older people to look out for their investigation was the largest sighting the Texas fast moving target moving on an eastward welfare and safety by raising their awareness of group had ever handled. And it showed. Crowds vector of about 700 mph. This was clearly not a scams and giving them the confidence to spot flooded the January Dublin meeting, more than passenger jet. It could have been a military jet or and say ‘no’ to them.” willing to share their experiences of the unusual an unknown object. The object was not The warning coincides with World Elder event. transponding." Abuse Awareness Day on Sunday, which is Eight MUFON investigators answered Puckett goes on to state weather being supported by Kirklees Council and other the call for volunteers to interview witnesses. conditions for the area Jan. 8. agencies. The day aims to raise awareness of With all of the media attention, the job must Well, we all knew there were jets in the different forms of elder abuse and highlight have seemed overwhelming. area. Even Maj. Karl Lewis with the Naval Air appropriate action. We find out Texas has had more than Base finally admitted there were 10 from his Clr Margaret Bates, Kirklees Cabinet’s 550 sightings from 1947 to Nov. 1, 2007. The base alone on the evening in question after first member for adult services, said: “Abuse of author of the article said that information was denying there were any. older people takes many forms, such as for perspective, but it seemed more like filler. The report also mentions three area law financial exploitation, physical cruelty, Especially because the title of the article leads enforcement officers and their accounts on Jan. emotional neglect and even sexual abuse. the reader to believe he or she will find out more 8, but mistakenly calls them "constables." A “The abuser can be a stranger, a carer, a family about Erath County sightings. The title is recent phone call to one of the officers member or someone else in a position of trust. "Stephenville: Report of Cluster of UFO confirmed that none of the three ever made an “It is important that people are aware of Sightings in Erath County, Texas, Nov. 2007 to official report to MUFON investigators. Nor abuse of older people and take action to prevent Feb. 2008." does the report state how the information or the and report it. Steve Allen is the pilot who first brought computer drawings was obtained. “We can all do our bit by checking on the sightings to the attention of the world. He Bruce Maccabee, Ph.D., a ufologist our elderly neighbours, staying in contact with and three friends saw something so studying the field for years was provided with a older relatives or reporting abuse to the police, unbelievably large and absolutely silent Jan. 8 copy of David Coran's video. Coran is a Kirklees Adult Services or another relevant they didn't feel it should remain between Stephenville resident and first showed his film agency. friends. And, when a few minutes later the to Steve Allen. Allen gave Coran some money “If you have any concerns get in touch object appeared for the second time, apparently and Coran told him to use the film as he pleased, and put a stop to elder abuse. being chased by F-16 jets, it made the sighting according to Allen. “Together, we can make a difference.” all the more interesting. Allen is mentioned, but Then Ken Cherry arranged a meeting A chronic scam victim is someone who the report does not recognize if his sighting was between Coran and UFO Hunters of the History is taken in repeatedly because they are over- identified or is to remain unidentified. And, Channel to purchase the video. Maccabee is the trusting, socially isolated or suffer from a what about those jets? Did they show up on organization's state director for Maryland. mental health problem such as dementia. radar? Is there anything new in this report Without the original film or camera or being People who have been duped may feel regarding Allen's sighting that wasn't already able to look through that camera at the precise embarrassed and ashamed, making them less known? time and place the film was taken, Maccabee likely to admit the problem to family and A map is included with Allen's location determined that Coran was viewing an out-of- friends. in Selden along with the time (6:15 p.m.) Allen focus star. It's an analysis that many in the UFO Graham Hebblethwaite, chief officer of claimed he saw something a mile long and a community agree with. West Yorkshire Trading Standards Service, said: half-mile wide. There are other anonymous A conclusion, Allen says, he will never “If you are one of the few people in regular witnesses plotted on the map at other locations believe. Allen said the tape he has shows trees contact with an older person be alert for scams, from Stephenville to Dublin but no mention of and rooftops clearly in focus while the "star" is offer advice and get help. sighting times. There are arrows, which show putting on a light show. “Anyone can fall for a scam, but the directions of something traveling along the path Thanks, Steve Allen, for giving us all elderly are more vulnerable and more likely to of the witnesses. But, where are numbers like courage; courage to report, courage to write, be targeted.” altitude and speed? Why isn't there any and courage to look deeply into the unknown. He added: “There have been cases information in the report to explain how the In Ken Cherry's short article for the where some victims receive as many as 100 researchers knew the path this object took? Journal, he says, "No doubt, this report will not mailings and phone calls a week and lose The report says many of the sightings satisfy the skeptics or true believers." thousands of pounds. have been identified, including one video No doubt, he's right. If you are worried about the emotional presented by an unknown witness that and physical welfare of an older person contact resembled a black snake "being blown across Angelia Joiner is a former Stephenville Kirklees Council Adult Services. [] the sky." MUFON identified this object as a Empire-Tribune. []