Man uses M-80s and a drone to annoy neighbors

[Sympthsical]

This has been floating around my NextDoor for awhile, and they finally caught the guy.

It's almost kind of ingenious though. Annoying, frightening, angering. But ingenious.

https://napavalleyregister.com/news/local/american-canyon-police-arrest-resident-using-drone-to-ignite-illegal-fireworks/article_87d10b74-e378-11ec-b43b-2f72ec230c94.html

After hearing complaints of “large booms” over the past few weeks, the American Canyon Police Department arrested a man shortly after midnight Friday for igniting illegal fireworks using a drone, according to a department press release.

Following a report of illegal fireworks being ignited from a drone, officers were dispatched early Friday to the 400 block of Poppyfield Drive. Once there, the officers saw a drone in the air, and the drone was igniting fireworks, according to a press release.

The officers then followed the drone, which landed about a block over in 600 block of Kilpatrick Street. Police found an American Canyon resident holding the drone, and detained him, the press release says. The resident admitted to igniting M-80 type explosive devices from the drone — which reportedly had a device attached to it that was used to ignite explosives while in flight. The resident was arrested and issued a misdemeanor citation for dangerous fireworks, police said. Police also seized the drone for evidence.

The press release notes that the incident happened a few days after the Old Fire, which has burned roughly 570 acres, broke out in Napa County.

[2naSalit]

1. I hope the neighbors...

Can press charges of some kind.

[Chainfire]

2. The most important part of the story is missing

Where did he get the M-80s? I haven't seen one of them since the 1960s. I have seen fireworks called M-80s but the were a tube, with a small firecracker inside.

[Sympthsical]

3. They were readily available when I grew up in the 90s

In Illinois, we used to bounce over the Indiana border to get them. Couldn't say now, since it's been a minute.

Fireworks do not seem difficult to obtain in California. In North Bay, people tend to be a lot more cautious, because this whole place will go up in flames if someone rubs their hair on a balloon. However, East Bay has people. In Richmond in particular, you'll just hear them constantly go off at random.

You'd have to be a perfect idiot to be setting off fireworks in North Bay right now. We've had one of the driest winters I can remember. Every day seems like a new Red Flag Warning day.

It's not going to take much.

[stopdiggin]

4. illegal fireworks? in this weather?

(just days after a scary fire)
guy's lucky he didn't get 'discovered' by neighbors with baseball bats ...

[gulliver]

5. Not sure why it's legal to fly drones in residential areas

That seems worse than dangerous fireworks.

[gratuitous]

6. A propos of nothing in particular

Do they still make wrist rockets? Kind of a souped-up version of a slingshot. Asking for a friend.