Crop Circles: Other Aspects of the Las Perdices Case (Argentina)
By Andrea Pérez Simondini and Dr. Luis Reinoso
Research into this case lead us to work on the quest for background information in the same place and region. This survey is extremely important when facing such an important case as the Las Perdices print, as it was known journalistically, given the investigative need to associate a physical event such as an imprint on the ground with the manifestation of lights at the same time that the imprint occurred.
Another significant aspect consists of finding background information, as we said, and Guillermo Gonzalez, one of the owners of the property, managed to put us in contact with the owner of another field who had two similar marks appear on his property in 1998.
As you may recall from the first report on this research, VISION OVNI conducted the investigation with Dr. Luis Reinoso of EDOVNI, who gave a chance to gain a different perspective on the case.
Conclusions Reached by Dr. Luis Reinoso, EDOVNI
This case was researched jointly by members of VISION OVNI in the city of Victoria, Entre Rios, whose director is Silvia Perez Simondini, accompanied by her daughter Andrea Pérez Simondini and a group of associates. I was not planning to make any report on the matter, considering that the one presented by Andrea Pérez Simondini and uploaded to the VISION OVNI site sufficiently elucidated all of the eyewitness accounts collected as well as the photo and film evidence uploaded by Andrea and Silvia for the benefit of the public at large and for all persons interested in the subject of UFOs.
But at Andrea’s request, I submit this report on the “Las Perdices” case, having the honor and pleasure of sharing this research with her.
Prior considerations: sharing research on-site with another research group was extremely important, mainly from the human perspective, showing that it is possible to do this when no one is looking for a “leading role” and each party does what it’s supposed to do before the witnesses themselves, before the evidence itself, and above all, facing an array of peoples looking for answers from us about an event they deemed “strange” and “anomalous”. It was a unique experience, in Andrea’s words. Both Silvia and I had to provide answers to the questions posed by these people, who perhaps approached us only out of curiosity, but most of them did so as a result of having had UFO experiences beforehand – some of them in the Las Perdices region, others in Capilla del Monte and in Greater Buenos Aires.
Upon reaching Las Perdices, we got in touch with G Gonzalez, owner of the local FM radio station operating in the area, and which is the second one, since there is another community FM station belonging to the priest of the local church. Gonzalez spoke to us about the area’s characteristics, mainly about its inhabitants, where the majority was “astonished” by the event. But no one wanted to speak in favor or against it, as the fear or ridicule is very strong here. On the one hand, there are those who say such things are “foolish”, but are in fact showing their fear of the unknown, that for which a logical explanation cannot be found. The people we met at the crop circle told us they dismissed the possibility of a prank by teenagers, since “they’re into something completely different”, and could not imagine “truant kids” doing something, as this would represent more work than they’re willing to do.
Furthermore, the eyewitness accounts or the people interviewed did not want their names and surnames to become known, and initially reacted with suspicion and even some mistrust. After hours went by and we made ourselves known, they opened up and the barrier was erased. From that moment onward, they provided us with all of the required information that was captured on videos and recordings.
A detail we noted was the following request from most witnesses: “don’t let it be like 14 years ago, when researchers gathered all the information and promised to send a report or conclusions, yet never did.” It was a bill we weren’t responsible for, but we promised that it wouldn’t occur, not in this case. Andrea tried to get us out the situation by saying: “Those were other times. There wasn’t much communication and the media was different. Today we have the Internet and you’ll be able to find the report on our website, www.VisionOvni.com.ar.” They were much more at ease and helpful after that.
Reminiscing About A Case From 1998, Involving Teenagers from Las Perdices
Gonzalez took us to the home of a family whose children and friends had a UFO experience back in 1998. As they left a confitería (sweet shop) located in the town of General Dezha, 11 km distant from Las Perdices, they were followed by a large white light throughout the return trip. The luminous object followed them along the road and over the high-voltage wires. When they realized this, the young man driving the car tried to go faster, but that was when the object got behind the car and shone its lights within it. At that very moment, the teenagers were overwhelmed with panic and something known as “missing time” took place, or rather “they cannot recall what happened after”. They later found themselves somewhere else in town. The odyssey ended at one of the girls’ homes. The father, who was telling us about the event, swung by that house to pick the up. This event had psychological consequences: the daughter was overcome by a permanent sense of fear before going to bed, bordering on panic and terror. On many evenings she would ask her parents to let her sleep with them, and episodes of bed-wetting persisted for a long while. This condition ended over time.
The car involved – a Renault 12 – developed a peculiarity after the incident. Whenever a compass was brought near it, the needle would go wild, indicating the presence of an electromagnetic field. Despite repeated washing with water and detergent, the field persisted for several months.
A Strange Circle in a Sorghum Field
We reached the indicated location at around 15:00 hours. It was located 1000 meters from an urban zone, in a field surrounded by a rural road known by the locals as “Ríspido”. The field covers 120 hectares and belongs to the Tossi family. The data obtained suggests that [the crop circle event] resulted in a family feud, since the surface upon which it appears belongs to one of the nieces, as there is joint ownership, and this niece did not authorize the event to become publicly known. When the incident became known, the field was overrun, with damage inflicted to the sorghum crop. This was inevitable.
We have been suggesting the need, in the light of similar cases, for the corresponding authorities to take measures and decree a ban on the entry or invasion by private parties or curiosity seekers of the premises where these crop circles appear. This would serve to avoid destruction, intoxication or contamination of the scene. Until professionals arrive (from the University, INTA, etc. or UFO groups) with sufficient equipment to make tests and secure evidence for subsequent analysis, freedom of access should be restricted.
When we arrived, the circle was perfect, but its surface had been trampled. We used an aerial photograph as reference, which had been prepared by Vision Ovni as part of the worksheet for this investigation. We proceeded to make measurements. It measured 25 meters in diameter and presented two parallel straight segments measuring 12 meters each. The plants were flattened in a counterclockwise direction (whirlpool-shaped). A grassy section drew our attention: it had a whirlpool effect and the direction was also arranged or displayed counterclockwise.
Andrea discovered some holes near the circle, but beyond its circumference. These can be seen from the air, and we took the aerial photograph into consideration. Material was extracted from them for subsequent analysis. Andrea extracted the amount of soil needed for analysis from the center of the circle. Other perforations made by specialists from Rio Cuarto University were made, and we do not know the results obtained. We were told however that those specialists had not found any signs of radiation.
On the site, and taking in all possible details, it was not possible to detect the passing of any vehicle that was supposedly employed to make the circle, and it would have had to exist, because it is impossible to erase it by the very arrangement of the sorghum crop itself. This is also visible from aerial photographs. That is to say, we reached the conclusion that whoever created the circle, or caused it to happen, arrived from above. We can clearly see the trails created by curiosity-seekers and by our own team when crossing the barbed wire fence and walking toward the circle. Furthermore, the photos clearly show that entering the field through the barbed wire fence parallel to the road is impossible, as there is a 2 meter height from the surface of the road to the final wire, and there is no breakage whatsoever along that border of the property.
If one arrives by car, or better yet, in a 4x4, being taller, it is impossible to look into the field and see the circle. Its existence was only discovered because a combine, four or five meters tall, entered the area. A similar machine went by during our stay in the area, and Andrea asked permission to climb aboard and videotape the scene. The crop circle’s date of creation is estimated between the 6-7 of April 2012. It became publicly known around 26-27 April and we visited the site on 1 May 2012.
Our presence at Las Perdices was not a mystery, since both Andrea and Silvia had been interviewed on the town’s FM station and many people were aware of our visit with the intention of researching the case. As a result of this, a young mother approached us to offer her own account and physical evidence, and what happened to her 12-year-old daughter as they were recording the crop circle with their cellphone: it displayed anomalies or interruptions at the moment the recording function was used, being captured by the cellphone. She was kind enough to give us the recording, which you can see at the Vision Ovni web page.
At night we went to dinner at the San Lorenzo Club, where we took the opportunity to rest up and discuss all the details of the experience, and make plans for the following day.
Recalling Similar Cases from the Year 1998
After breakfast, we went to Don Juan’s house. He is the owner of the field on which two similar circles had appeared in the year 1998. Dr. Lewis and Mr. Sosa of the City of Rio Cuarto investigated this case. It was during a UFO convention in which I participated in 1998, and remember well.
With the characteristic kindness of people from the country’s interior, Don Juan and his wife welcomed us. They asked us into their home in Las Perdices and began to tell us their story: “There used to be a stream, several trees and a sheep pen near our country home. That’s where a circle measuring 25 meters in diameter appeared.” Today, the stream and trees are gone. He provided us with photos of the field at that time. They also told us that beyond the first circle there appeared another similar one, but in this case, what happens every harvest, is that the yield is increased or the plants grow as though fortified by something.”
We conducted a photo survey of the places where the marks appeared; we spoke to their children and employees.
Don Juan showed us some spheres he found in the field back in 1998. One of them could be part of a meteorite, the others could be worked by human hands, perhaps from the time when natives occupied the land.” All of these were matters worthy of research and we departed, in the end, with many questions, but pleased to have visited Las Perdices. This marks the end of the report.
To see the videos, please visit: http://www.visionovni.com.ar/modules/news/article.php?storyid=798
(Translation (c) 2012, Scott Corrales, Institute of Hispanic Ufology (IHU). Special thanks to Guillermo Gimenez, PLANETA UFO)