Fact check: The New Jersey drone scare in 2024 was caused by someone losing a radioactive pin source

1. Summary of the results

The original statement is incorrect in claiming a direct causal link between the New Jersey drone scare and a lost radioactive pin. While both events did occur in December 2024, they were separate incidents:

• A GE-68 radioactive pin from a cancer center was indeed lost in transit on December 2, 2024 ^[1]
• The pin was later found at a FedEx facility in Indianapolis ^[1]
• Federal agencies investigated approximately 5,000 drone sighting tips and found nothing "anomalous" ^[2]
• The National Nuclear Security Administration explicitly stated they do not use drones for nuclear detection missions ^[3]

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Several important contextual elements were omitted from the original statement:

• Multiple Investigations: Federal agencies conducted extensive investigations into the drone sightings ^[4]
• Alternative Theories: Security experts have suggested the possibility of government technology testing, though this remains unproven ^[5]
• Local Political Angle: Belleville Mayor Michael Melham continued to raise questions about drone operations and claimed they were "searching for something" ^[6], despite official denials
• Scale of Response: The investigation involved reviewing thousands of drone sighting reports, indicating the scope of public concern ^[2]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The statement appears to conflate two separate events, potentially contributing to broader misinformation:

• Multiple conspiracy theories were circulated during this period and were explicitly denied by officials ^[2]
• Local political figures like Mayor Michael Melham may have benefited from maintaining public interest in the story by suggesting connections between the events ^[6]
• The statement ignores official clarifications from:
• The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, which closed the case ^[1]
• Federal authorities who dismissed these theories ^[1]
• The National Nuclear Security Administration's explicit denial ^[3]

This case demonstrates how separate events can become incorrectly linked in public discourse, especially during periods of heightened concern about security and safety.