Rogue cell phone dials 911 over and over again

[MaNuMaNiAc]

http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/ptech/1....ap/index.html

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) -- A rogue cell phone is not accepting calls, but it sure likes to dial 911 operators in eastern Iowa.

Operators at the Black Hawk County Consolidated Communications Center said that they received about 400 calls from the same cell phone last week and that no one seems to be on the other line.

"That's it right now," said Dispatcher Chuck Hosier, as a phone rang in the background. "It will ring in, and it's an open line. Sometimes it rings in and drops off."

Officials can't locate the phone but have figured out that it is an old line not currently associated with a cell phone provider. Such phones, once charged up, can still place 911 calls under Federal Communications Commission rules set in 1994.

The cell phone can't receive calls, and emergency workers haven't been able to track the owner through service records, either.

"With this, we are pretty helpless," said Judy Flores, the center's administrative supervisor.

Officials are su ious that it could be a prank -- but they say it's not funny and potentially dangerous.

Until the source of the calls is found or they stop, dispatchers still have to answer every call just in case someone is on the line with an emergency.

spooky...

[LuvBones]

Ew, that is eerie! 400 times in one week?!

[desflood]

You just know that eventually they're going to find that phone on a body hidden somewhere.

[The sone]

se7en.....



its the sin of technology....thats one of them right?

[Melmart1]

You just know that eventually they're going to find that phone on a body hidden somewhere.

Wouldn't it have run out of battery a long time ago, then? It only works if its charged. That's why there is nothing spooky about this. It is clearly a setup or prank of some sort.

[phyzik]

my co-worker has a mentally handicapped relative that calls the fire department at least once a day in Michigan. They know him by name now. The mtoher tries to keep track of him but it cant be done 24/7 so he sneaks a call in here and there.

[spurster]

You think they would be able to triangulate the signal.

[AZLouis]

This must be the Jack Bauer of prank phone callers.

[exstatic]

You think they would be able to triangulate the signal.

Triangulate, my ass. Don't these things have a GPS chip?

[MaNuMaNiAc]

Wouldn't it have run out of battery a long time ago, then? It only works if its charged. That's why there is nothing spooky about this. It is clearly a setup or prank of some sort.

I bet you're no fun on Halloween

[Melmart1]

I bet you're no fun on Halloween

Yeah, I don't scare very easily on Halloween When I go to scary movies I rarely jump and usually laugh. But, I am good at scaring others