ST. FRANCISVILLE - The West Feliciana Parish Sheriff's Office issued a statement regarding "a rash of unidentified drone sightings" that deputies say have been seen over the past two weeks.

Deputies say the sightings of unidentified drones flying in the parish began on Dec. 24. Sheriff Brian Spillman said the drones are as large as five feet in diameter and have been seen flying in areas near critical infrastructure. Spillman says eyewitnesses, which include patrol deputies, have seen flying objects altitudes as low as 200 feet and up to over 500 feet.

Spillman said deputies have no reason to believe the sightings pose a threat to public safety, but they are treating it as a criminal violation since they've been spotted over areas where drone flight is prohibited.

“If these reports are accurate, these are not Christmas toys being operated by a hobbyist,” Spillman said. “We’ve deployed technology to help us locate and track the activity, and we’re actively seeking additional resources to help reveal the identity of the devices and their operators.”

Spillman said he is treating it as a threat to local critical infrastructure.

Attorney General Liz Murrill issued a statement saying that the threat needs to be eliminated and federal law does not prohibit public safety officials from taking action.

"I'll continue to provide assistance as needed to Sheriff Spillman and public officials in our state on this issue," Murrill said.