A man in Berlin was arrested after allegedly giving fake flight orders to air traffic while pretending to be an aviation official, numerous sources reported.
The U.N. identified 32-year-old man was arrested Thursday in Berlin’s Koepenick district after he made radio contact with a police helicopter that was dispatched with the intention of trying to track down the person making the orders, the Associated Press reported. He was arrested on allegations that he impersonated an aviation official, police said, according to the AP.
“Hierbei soll der Mann Fluganweisungen gegeben haben, die im Laufe der Zeit immer professioneller wirkten…”
Für alle, die uns in letzter Zeit nach Einsätzen unseres Polizeihubschraubers in #Köpenick fragten. Eine nicht alltägliche Festnahme ????https://t.co/CE0HMGrB3B
^tsm
— Polizei Berlin (@polizeiberlin) January 29, 2021
While searching his home, police found two radios that are used to transmit on frequencies needed to make contact with aircraft, according to the AP.
Over the past six months, the man was alleged to have made contact with pilots of both passenger and transport aircraft, along with state and federal police helicopters. He gave pilots “potentially dangerous” instructions, and was becoming increasingly professional with his communications. (RELATED: Canadians Crossing US Border Via Helicopter Despite Travel Ban)
“For everyone who has been asking about our police helicopter operations in Koepenick, an unusual arrest,” Berlin police tweeted.
Police reportedly said that the man did not cause any accidents with his directions. He was later released after “police measures were complete,” Euro News reported. The investigation is ongoing.