Crank Caller Gets Cranked
Saturday, December 30th, 2006 • Filed under Other
What happens when a guy prank calls the Knoville Fire Department 15 times in a row from his cell phone? The firefighters hold a little episode of “Crank Yankers” of their own.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Knoxville Fire Department investigators used a ruse of their own to nab a man suspected of making a series of bogus emergency calls on his cell phone.
After receiving a false report of a gas leak on Dec. 14, firefighters compared notes.
They confirmed 15 fake 911 calls over a two-month period, including four house fires, six car crashes and various other medical emergencies. All came from the same cell phone.
So they called the number and left a message saying the phone’s owner had won a gift card from a major retailer, Fire Capt. Brent Seymour said.
The ironically named suspect Jason Harms got busted because he made all the prank calls from the same cell phone, and police dispatchers have these new fangled machines that can track telephone numbers. Thanks to Mr. Harms, they are now working on technology to will help dispatchers determine if the person on the phone is a total tool.
The man called back and gave the fire department his address so he could get his gift card. They met in a parking lot and he was promptly arrested. His first words, according to the story, were “You can’t prove it.” A general sessions judge had a difference of opinion.
He sent 15 counts of felony false reports against him to a grand jury. Upon arrest, he also lost his right to make a phone call.
Megan says: February 6th, 2007 at 2:47 pm
you would think some people would have the sense if they were going to prank call the same place more than once to use a different phone. nope. i think some people are born ridiculous.
Caitlin Hoferichter says: May 24th, 2007 at 4:42 am
Personally I think the whole situation is just stupid! Who has nothing better to do with their time than make prank calls? And seriously, if your logic aint there in the first place to call off your cell phone, when you get a call back saying you won something you didnt even enter a competition for, put the phone down. Its a telemarketer. Nothing in life is for free!
opp says: June 5th, 2007 at 10:49 am
WTF what a F**king moron!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jen says: November 4th, 2007 at 8:55 pm
The only people I know that make prank phone calls are my 13 year old cousin and her friends. Kids always do dumb stuff when they are bored and they only ever prank their other friends and/or family members, and occasionally they’ll just prank random numbers from the phone book. But they are smart enough not to prank 911 or the police or fire station. That is the dumbest thing you can do. God!
sarah philip says: February 4th, 2008 at 2:46 pm
hey could the person in charge put some valuable infomation and not **** cause its quite annoying to read **** especially when doing constructive research.
veronica says: April 10th, 2008 at 10:53 am
constructive research on what how to dumb yourself down
Mr Data says: December 24th, 2009 at 2:59 pm
Verionica you treated sarah worse then whatever you think she did.