New Jersey State Park Police Investigate "UFO Detector Site" in Wharton State Forest

The device found by New Jersey State Park Police at what they referred to as a “UFO Detector Site.” (NJSPP / Facebook) — The device found by New Jersey State Park Police at what they referred to as a “UFO Detector Site.” *(NJSPP / Facebook)*

The New Jersey State Park Police (NJSPP) said in a Facebook post on April 9th that they had been "made aware of a 'UFO Detector Site' which was located on Saw Dust Pile Road in Tabernacle [Township] in Wharton State Forest."

Wharton State Forest is the largest state forest in New Jersey and is part of the pine barrens ecoregion; an area known for high strangeness events, including sightings of the Jersey Devil.

A device reportedly found at the site by hikers was examined by "members of the NJSPP Detective Unit and NJSPP K-9 Unit," at which time their "Explosive Detecting K-9 'Prime' was deployed."

According to the post, “Prime determined the UFO Detecting Device was safe. The device was carefully 'disarmed' by NJ State Park Police personnel by unplugging the headphone wire from the block of wood and the soup can it was plugged into."

Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) spokesperson Caryn Shinkske told local radio station New Jersey 101.5 that a small flag attached to the device read "UFO Detector Site #448."

It’s unclear at this time exactly what the device is, although there has been speculation that it might be an attempt at a homemade magnetometer. A magnetometer is a device that measures magnetic fields, which some believe might detect UFOs by registering magnetic field fluctuations.

The NJSPP advised anyone finding a suspicious object at any of New Jersey's State Parks to notify them at 1-877-WARN-DEP.

So far, no one has come forward to claim the device.

UFOs are not unknown in the area, and according to the National UFO Reporting Center (NUFORC), there have been three UFO sightings in the vicinity of Tabernacle since 2014, and close to 800 statewide dating back to the first half of the 20th century.

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