A transistor radio fanatic was arrested for posing as an air traffic controller in Germany.
The 32-year-old Berlin man was taken into custody on Thursday evening after police said he had contacted air traffic and issued false flight orders.
One of the planes he contacted illegally was a police helicopter sent to his neighborhood as part of a police raid to capture him, German officials said.
During a search of the suspect’s apartment, police found two radios transmitting on the frequencies needed to make contact with planes.
“For anyone who has asked about our police helicopter operations in Köpenick, an unusual arrest,” Berlin police tweeted.
The suspect – whose name has not been disclosed – is accused of interacting with both state and federal helicopters and passenger and transport aircraft for a period of six months.
The man had become more and more professional in his communication, but was giving “potentially dangerous” instructions. Fortunately, his crimes did not lead to incidents or accidents.
With pole wires