A Barrington police officer was locking up the gate at the town beach on Saturday night, Jan. 11, when he looked to the west and spotted a strange green light shining into the sky.

The officer watched as the light, which appeared to be coming from a laser pointer, flashed into the sky and then back down toward the town beach. Multiple officers then responded to the end of Watson Avenue where they had spotted the laser light. 

Police said about a half-dozen teenagers fled the area on foot as officers arrived, abandoning their bicycles and scooters at the end of the road. Police seized the bikes and scooters and, when the teenagers' parents went to pick up the scooters and bikes officers told them what their sons had been up to the night before. 

Police officers later called officials at TF Green Airport to see if any pilots had reported seeing green laser lights on Saturday night, but there had not been any complaints filed. 

Police said there have been prior incidents where people have shined laser lights toward planes flying over Narragansett Bay.