Robert Taylor incident facts for kids
The Taylor Incident, also known as the Livingston Incident or Dechmont Woods Encounter, is a famous story about a possible UFO sighting in Scotland. It happened in 1979 near Livingston, in a place called Dechmont Law. A forester named Robert "Bob" Taylor claimed he saw a strange flying object and had a very unusual experience.
When Bob Taylor returned home, he looked messy. His clothes were torn, and he had scratches on his chin and legs. He said he had met a "flying dome" that tried to pull him inside. Because of his injuries, the police officially recorded the event. This incident is well-known as the "only example of an alien sighting becoming the subject of a police investigation."
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The Mysterious Dechmont Woods Encounter
Robert "Bob" Taylor worked in the forests for the Livingston Development Corporation. On November 9, 1979, he parked his truck near the M8 motorway. He then walked with his dog along a forest path up the side of Dechmont Law.
What Happened to Bob Taylor?
Taylor reported seeing a "flying dome." He described it as a large, round object, about 7 yards (6.4 meters) wide. It was hovering above the ground in a clear area of the forest. This spot was about 530 yards (485 meters) from his truck.
Taylor said the object looked like "dark metallic material." It had a rough surface, like sandpaper. He also noticed that its outer edge had "small propellers."
Taylor claimed he smelled a bad odor, "like burning brakes." Then, smaller round objects, "similar to sea mines," grabbed him. They started pulling him towards the larger flying object. After that, he lost consciousness. When he woke up later, the objects were gone. He could not start his truck, so he walked all the way back to his home in Livingston.
Police Look Into the Incident
When Taylor arrived home, his wife noticed he was muddy and his clothes were ripped. She quickly called the police and a doctor. The doctor treated his scratches on his chin and legs.
Police officers went with Taylor back to the place where he said he was hurt. They found "ladder-shaped marks" on the ground. Taylor said these marks were made by the large flying object. They also found other marks that Taylor believed were from the smaller, mine-like objects. The police officially recorded the event as a police investigation due to his injuries.
What Do UFO Experts Say?
This unusual story caught the attention of ufologists, who are people who study UFOs. They even put up a special plaque at the site where the event supposedly happened. Taylor became famous among UFO fans because his was the only UFO sighting that was officially investigated by the police.
A ufologist and author named Malcolm Robinson believes Taylor's story. He thinks "it could be one of the few genuine cases of a UFO encounter."
