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A Connecticut radio amateur has been charged on multiple
counts – including falsely reporting an incident – after he used
a portable ham radio to play a prank, saying there was a gunman
at a local Walmart, authorities allege.
Keith J. Mutch, 35, of Norwich, was arrested on suspicion of
second-degree breach of peace, first-degree reckless endangerment
and first-degree falsely reporting an incident.
“Initial investigation by police revealed that store security
personnel had heard (a) report of (a) man with (a) shotgun
over their two-way radio system,” according to an item on
Amateur Radio Newsline, citing a Norwich Bulletin news
story. “However, none of the personnel had made the transmission.”
When police arrived, no gunman was found. “A
police investigation concluded that Mutch had used a portable
ham radio set to make the transmission.” Mutch has denied
involvement.
According to the FCC database, Mutch holds the call sign
KB1RBI. (ARN, Norwich Bulletin)

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What a fuckhead.

Norwich, Conn. —

Norwich police, in the second arson arrest in two weeks, have linked an amateur radio enthusiast to a 2007 fire in Norwich.

Keith J. Mutch, 35, of 1 Tanner Ave. in Norwich, was arrested Wednesday and charged with second-degree arson and first-degree criminal mischief in connection with a June 7, 2007, blaze at a vacant home at 4 Tilton St. The home was demolished because of the damage.

Mutch is the second man arrested by Norwich police after formation of a task force initiated by Norwich Fire Marshal Kenneth Scandarito to look into suspicious fires across the city. The group includes Detective Sgt. Peter B. Camp, a Norwich police arson investigator, and local and state fire marshal’s offices. The initiative was prompted by concerns after three suspicious fires at unoccupied buildings in April, including Capehart Mill.

Mutch is the same man arrested May 28 by Norwich police, who say he used a radio in January to falsely report that a man armed with a shotgun was outside the Norwich Walmart about to shoot someone. The threat, broadcast over Walmart employees’ hand-held radios, prompted a heavily armed response by police.

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Without a recording of sufficient quality to allow voice-print analysis....I don't see how he could be convicted unless either someone saw/heard him do it or he confesses.
Wacker?

Mutch’s former roommate, Kevin Walker, 22, of Moosup, was arrested last week as a suspect in an Aug. 8, 2008, fire at an unoccupied residential building at 56 Yantic St. in Norwich. Walker remains held  on a host of charges that include bomb making and tampering with fire hydrants in Colchester. He was arrested on harassment charges in November for calling Mutch and telling him “you’ll be in a zipper bag,” if he continued to talk about him, police said.

Mutch is the same man arrested May 28 by Norwich police, who say he used a radio in January to falsely report that a man armed with a shotgun was outside the Norwich Walmart about to shoot someone. The threat, broadcast over Walmart employees’ hand-held radios, prompted a heavily armed response by police.

Mutch was free on bond in the Walmart case when police said he called one of the witnesses and attempted to persuade her to change her story. As a result, he was charged Wednesday with tampering with a witness.  Mutch called the woman, yelling at her for telling police what he had done, police said. He called her a “snitch, and that she knows what happens to snitches,” according to the warrant in the case.

Mutch is the same man arrested May 28 by Norwich police, who say he used a radio in January to falsely report that a man armed with a shotgun was outside the Norwich Walmart about to shoot someone. The threat, broadcast over Walmart employees’ hand-held radios, prompted a heavily armed response by police.

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I remember a skywarn net in Dallas where some asshole got on with an absurd report, like 100 mph winds and 4 inches per hour rain.  The net operator accepted it without rewarding the guy with much attention, and a subsequent report confirmed that weather was fine in the same location.

Even FCC exams don't keep out all the riffraff.  They are pretty effective, though.

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Sounds like the Walmart radios were Motorola or Cobra HT/FRS radios.  I doubt he was using Ham Radio to call in the fake report.  The fact that he has a license in Ham Radio, I think the journalist assumed that he was using ham radio gear.  

Of course this is all speculation on my part.  For all we know, for some of the prior stunts he has done, he could well have modified his radios to transmit on FRS freqs.  Either way, glad to hear his butt will be in jail.  We don't need guys like him to tarnish the Ham community.  

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Gotta be a whacker.



I'll bet he was on his scanner all night after he set that fire, listening to everything that was happening.

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"There's a man with a gun!  This is KB1RBI, clear"  

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When I worked at Wal-Mart back in High School we had Motorola Commercial HT's.  I don't recall what the frequency was but I believe it was licensed.  I seem to recall seeing the frequency for Wally World listed on Radio Reference.