Family offered $5,200,000 to sell land near Area 51 or else US Government seizes it

We love a good conspiracy theory around these parts and the weirder, the better. This, however, actually has a ring of truth to it, making it all the more scary.

The Shehan family of Groom Lake, Nevada have lived near to Area 51 for over sixty years. However, they won't be for much longer if the US Government has their way.

Plans have been afoot to purchase 400 acres of land from the Sheahans, which the US Government claims is vital to national security and has to be taken. They're not being offered peanuts, mind you.

An offer of $5,200,000 was rejected by the Sheahans, who say this isn't about money. "It's our heritage,” Barbara Shehan said. “It means everything to us. It's not just a hole in the ground, or the wall. It's our home.”

The situation now is that the US government can seize the land from them by a process known as Eminent Domain. Very simply, it's the same as Ireland's compulsory purchase order which means the government can take control of private property for public use if it's deemed necessary.

For the moment, there's a stand-off between the Shehans and the US Government. The family at Groom Lake say they're going nowhere and the US Government said it will not negotiate on its offer, which they believe is hugely generous.

The Shehans maintain that a mine on their property is worth more than the offer on the table. A spokesperson from the United States Air Force at Area 51, which is one of the most secretive military bases in the world and is commonly linked with extraterrestrial sightings, said that acquisition of the land is "a matter of national security", but wouldn't reveal any further reasons as to why this particular parcel of land has to be bought.

We think we know.