BERLIN (AP) – A man has been arrested in Berlin on charges that he had radio contact with air traffic, including police helicopters, and gave false flight orders while impersonating an aviation official, he said Friday the German police.
The 32-year-old, whose identity was not released under German privacy laws, was arrested Thursday night in the eastern district of Koepenick, according to police.
Police were able to crawl into his apartment after he came in contact with a police helicopter that was sent to the neighborhood in hopes of getting him out.
During a search of his home, police found two radios transmitting at the frequencies needed to make contact with the plane.
“For anyone who has been asking about our police helicopter operations in Koepenick, an unusual arrest,” Berlin police posted on Twitter with a link to more details.
The man is said to have contacted pilots of passenger and transport planes, as well as state and federal police helicopters, over the past six months, giving “potentially dangerous” instructions and becoming increasingly professional in your communications.
No accidents or other incidents are known to have occurred due to his actions, police said.