"As I walked up to the door, I reached for the doorknob and felt a tug on my right side. Then I heard a metallic jingling sound to my left. I then realized my keys, normally clipped onto a belt loop on my right side, were now on the ground to my left." .. "The recording equipment was properly turned on, we made sure no one was in the house, and then secured the doors and windows. We were outside for a period of time and then re-entered the house to change the recording tapes. We then realized the recorders were turned off and only a few minutes of recording occurred. The equipment was physically turned off, and the switches require substantial effort to move." ... "My keys were placed on the table, and an hour later, were nowhere to be found. We searched the house and then saw them on the top ledge of the window frame, a height not easily reached by adults, and virtually impossible to reach by the kids." These are just some of the many stories of paranormal activity experienced by homeowners and investigators alike. Others report the movement of objects from their locations and even mysterious writings on sheets of paper.

These stories have intrigued me for many years. I have wondered how one could develop a device to possibly record such events. During a monthly meeting of the Center for Paranormal Research and Investigations members (CPRI), Bobbie Artristan suggested that maybe a device similar to the NSSL's "Turtle," used for tornado investigations, would be useful in our investigations. I was already considering a stand-alone device that could be placed in an area that was reported to be haunted, and left for days. The two ideas seemed to meld into the development of APRON (Anomalous Phenomena Recording Onsite Network).

After researching available instruments compatible with our requirements, I decided to start with something a little different and much simpler, a spirit teaser. The device is quite simple, a box about 20 inches square and 8 inches deep, with a lockable Plexiglas cover. Why a lockable cover? Three simple reasons: One, if we follow the long-standing physical laws, it should be impossible to move an object through a solid barrier. Second, the Plexiglas cover provides a means to document the placement of the contents and hopefully capture an anomalous event. Third, it keeps pranksters some distance from the items enclosed in the box.

The first version was outfitted with a magnetic compass, dice, playing cards, tablet and pencil, small flashlight, keys hanging on a perch, thermometer/hygrometer, a level, and a night vision camera, all enclosed within the box. The level is used to ensure that the contents cannot shift on their own. The teasers- dice, cards, keys and tablet- are for the entity to enjoy. The flashlight is a battery-drain indicator; the compass is for EMF, and the thermometer/hygrometer for environmental changes. I have heard and read the stories of objects being transported from one location to another, even through solid objects such as walls. APRON just might provide the elusive photographic evidence sought by many investigators. APRON was in the field on two investigations, once in a private home in Virginia and again at Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia. So far, the results have been negative. Hopefully, that will change in the future.