Pranksters With Stolen Radios Tie Up Dallas Police Channels

**TXCharlie** · 08-29-08, 09:23 AM

http://www.nbc5i.com/news/17330453/detail.html

POSTED: 10:05 pm CDT August 28, 2008
UPDATED: 10:43 pm CDT August 28, 2008

DALLAS -- Emergency radios stolen earlier this week from Dallas fire trucks were used to wreak havoc Thursday on police channels, authorities said.

NBC5 obtained an internal police memo warning officers that someone was using the stolen radios.

In one recording of emergency traffic, a prankster can be heard saying, "code red, code red." In another, the voice says, "Is anybody out there?"

Police said the calls were disruptive, and downright dangerous. Dispatchers were tied up for close to 20 minutes Thursday tracking down police officers to make sure they were safe.

Police said finding the radios is just a matter of time. They are equipped with tracking devices.

**Xiphos** · 08-29-08, 11:38 AM

Our dispatchers can remotely shut off any of our radios. If one is stolen it is disabled, no receiving and no sending.

**Willowdared** · 08-29-08, 02:39 PM

Originally Posted by Xiphos

Our dispatchers can remotely shut off any of our radios. If one is stolen it is disabled, no receiving and no sending.

Same here. It's put in reward mode, and repeats a message with our department phone number.

**MacLean** · 08-29-08, 02:44 PM

Originally Posted by Xiphos

Our dispatchers can remotely shut off any of our radios. If one is stolen it is disabled, no receiving and no sending.

Same here, but trunked systems aren't everywhere yet.

We call it "turning it into a brick."

**TXCharlie** · 08-30-08, 01:42 AM

Dallas has lagged behind other departments in the area as far as moving to trunked or digital systems - They still operate on their old FM channels. Of course that doesn't mean they can't still remote disable them - not sure about that.

**MacLean** · 08-30-08, 02:54 AM

Originally Posted by TXCharlie

Dallas has lagged behind other departments in the area as far as moving to trunked or digital systems - They still operate on their old FM channels. Of course that doesn't mean they can't still remote disable them - not sure about that.

You can't remote disable any FM radio I am aware of.

I've got more advanced stuff in my ham shack than most PD's and I haven't seen one.

**jcsdscott** · 08-30-08, 03:36 AM

I know we can't, still stuck with VHF FM. Early this year someone had a volunteer firefighter's radio at a party, identified himself as the town's officer (who was off duty) and said someone stole their "f'n" beer. It stopped them when the Sgt told dispatch to triangulate their position the next time they transmitted.

**Jks9199** · 08-30-08, 10:12 AM

Originally Posted by maclean

You can't remote disable any FM radio I am aware of.

I've got more advanced stuff in my ham shack than most PD's and I haven't seen one.

The trunked systems that disable the radio don't actually "disable" it so much as simultaneously tell it "don't work for anyone until you're reset" and block it's ID from the computer that controls the trunking.

**MacLean** · 08-30-08, 03:36 PM

Originally Posted by Jks9199

The trunked systems that disable the radio don't actually "disable" it so much as simultaneously tell it "don't work for anyone until you're reset" and block it's ID from the computer that controls the trunking.

Actually, that is sort of true.

The Motorola system will allow you to brick the radio so that it will not transmit even in a direct or non-trunked capacity.

Pdawg even pointed out, you can make the radio continuously announce a reward feature, although our system does not do that.

It's old technology, came from cell phones. All you are doing is sending a command to the radio's version of a Sim card.

**TXCharlie** · 08-31-08, 06:44 PM

The PD I work at is stuck on a single VHF channel that's shared by about 5 small towns, plus the Sheriff's Deputies. When they shut the channel down for emergency traffic, not much happens in the county except by phone and text message

In contrast, the town I live in is probably switching to an APCO digital system in the next year or two, which of course means that my next scanner will be about $350 instead of the $150 I paid for my scanner for the current Motorala trunking system.

It'll be worth it though if APCO gets rid of the horrobile static that our trunking system has - Since it's UHF FM, it has dead spots and picket fencing all over town it seems, even after they added a repeater. Sometimes it's so bad that I can't even understand the dispatcher.

Our old VHF system at the other PD is much less annoying - It doesn't have the dead spots and picket fencing from all the reflections when we're moving.

**MacLean** · 08-31-08, 09:07 PM

Originally Posted by TXCharlie

It'll be worth it though if APCO gets rid of the horrobile static that our trunking system has.

It won't.

It's just different, not gone.

**TXCharlie** · 08-31-08, 09:10 PM

I was afraid you'd say that

**armsmaster270** · 09-01-08, 03:28 AM

How about a way to remotely detonate

**CTR man** · 09-01-08, 05:15 AM

That would be nice, teach them to steal radios. Could you put a GPS sensor on them so you could track them down? Or does the radio have to be in use for that?

**TXCharlie** · 09-01-08, 09:32 PM

Originally Posted by armsmaster270

How about a way to remotely detonate

I could probably rig a DTMF decoder to do that, but then no one would want to use their radios

g

**MacLean** · 09-01-08, 09:49 PM

Originally Posted by CTR man

That would be nice, teach them to steal radios. Could you put a GPS sensor on them so you could track them down? Or does the radio have to be in use for that?

You can ping and track a trunked radio just like a cell phone.

**CTR man** · 09-01-08, 11:20 PM

Originally Posted by maclean

You can ping and track a trunked radio just like a cell phone.

Ah then, good for LE that they can trace them and put those thieves were they belong. I guess someone will be knocking on their door real soon.

**Shoestring** · 09-02-08, 12:27 AM

Our radios dont have any fancy gadgets, infact they are better for throwing at people than anything. Hell if ours were stolen, they would never be able to get out on them anyways..... We have brought these concerns to supers but nothing will probably get done until one of us gets hurt

**CTR man** · 09-02-08, 12:40 AM

Originally Posted by Shoestring

Our radios dont have any fancy gadgets, infact they are better for throwing at people than anything. Hell if ours were stolen, they would never be able to get out on them anyways..... We have brought these concerns to supers but nothing will probably get done until one of us gets hurt

Imagining the visual here, at least you would have another weapon at your disposal.

**TXCharlie** · 09-03-08, 07:48 AM

This makes radio #6

http://www.myfoxdfw.com/myfox/pages/...Y&pageId=1.1.1

Last Edited: Tuesday, 02 Sep 2008, 9:52 PM CDT
Created: Tuesday, 02 Sep 2008, 9:52 PM CDT

It has happened again. Thieves have stolen more equipment, including another radio, from a Dallas fire station.

(VIDEO ON WEB SITE)

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