Two CT ham arrested for arson

[car54whereru]

Two CT hams have been charged in the last week in arson cases. R1RBH and K1RBI, are no strangers to legal troubles. Both have extensive criminal histories and pending criminal cases. This seems to be a story all to familiar to ham radio these days. Misguided wannbe ecomm first responders. Read the stories here.

K1RBH Arrest:
Moosup man charged with Norwich arson - Norwich, CT - Norwich Bulletin
Moosup man held on $250,000 bond in Norwich arson - Norwich, CT - Norwich Bulletin

K1RBI Arrest:, This is the same ham who was arrested last month for making fake distress calls at a Walmart

Arrest made in 2007 Norwich arson case

 

[elk2370bruce]

The fact that these two low-lifes just happened to be amateur radio operators is nothing more than incidental. In any large group, regardless of hobby, interest, or profession, there will always be those who violate the laws and behavioral norms. There have even been firefighters convicted of arson. Are all fire fighters, therefore, condemned with the same brush? Is the above statement, implicating amateur radio in the crime, based on some insider information or facts that you possess, or is it just your unproven opinion. Last time I looked, there were no questions on the exam pool about the chemistry or physics of bomb construction nor any napalm manufacturing. Why the bias or is this a trolling expedition?

 

[DaveNF2G]

Interestingly, one of these two was trolling the forums with information about charges against the other one a few days ago.

 

[car54whereru]

The fact that these two low-lifes just happened to be amateur radio operators is nothing more than incidental. In any large group, regardless of hobby, interest, or profession, there will always be those who violate the laws and behavioral norms. There have even been firefighters convicted of arson. Are all fire fighters, therefore, condemned with the same brush? Is the above statement, implicating amateur radio in the crime, based on some insider information or facts that you possess, or is it just your unproven opinion. Last time I looked, there were no questions on the exam pool about the chemistry or physics of bomb construction nor any napalm manufacturing. Why the bias or is this a trolling expedition?

If you went and read the stories you would see what the one did. Using a modded 2 meter HT to broadcast that there was a shooting at a walmart, throwing employees and cops into a panic. The other seemed to have a thing for starting fires and listening to the fire department response on his scanner. Where they both hams? Yes. Over the last few weeks have we seen a cluster of stories about hams getting arrested? Yes, we certainly have. There seems to be a common theme with all those getting arrested. It's the whacker mentality and this delusion that being a ham radio operator makes on an emergency responder.

McVey, operating his own armed highway patrol complete with dash cam and flashing lights.
The girl in California being an active stringer aka firetruck chaser.
Now these two getting kicks from staring fires and making fake calls just to watch the cops and firemen arrive.

 

[car54whereru]

Interestingly, one of these two was trolling the forums with information about charges against the other one a few days ago.

That would have been KB1RBH, also known as corrigan45unit.

 

[kb2vxa]

You don't need to know electronics or Morse code to get a license anymore, just memorize a handful of answers and you're a Cracker Jack Ham. Now the ARRL is using EMCOM as CPR trying to keep the hobby alive so what can you expect besides CB zombies with callsigns?

Glad to get that off my chest, sarcasm off, removing tongue from cheek.

 

[N467RX]

Wait... doesn't one of the FCC rules say that a conviction means that your license gets taken away?

 

[car54whereru]

Wait... doesn't one of the FCC rules say that a conviction means that your license gets taken away?

Yes, there is the character clause, but it takes years for the FCC to actually take a license this way.

 

[JeremyB]

The fact that these two low-lifes just happened to be amateur radio operators is nothing more than incidental. In any large group, regardless of hobby, interest, or profession, there will always be those who violate the laws and behavioral norms. There have even been firefighters convicted of arson. Are all fire fighters, therefore, condemned with the same brush? Is the above statement, implicating amateur radio in the crime, based on some insider information or facts that you possess, or is it just your unproven opinion. Last time I looked, there were no questions on the exam pool about the chemistry or physics of bomb construction nor any napalm manufacturing. Why the bias or is this a trolling expedition?

Probably just another troll. But do the sellers on ebay from Hong Kong ask for a callsign when they sell the wideband or whatever they want to call the wuoxun imports and these radios can transmit almost anywhere where you would find police/fire frequencies. This thread is meaningless enough to be locked or deleted. I wouldn't doubt these two were partners in crime, just trying to outdo the other, kb1rbh and kb1rhi were licensed on the same day. For all we know KB1RBI might be car54whereru

 

[car54whereru]

Probably just another troll. But do the sellers on ebay from Hong Kong ask for a callsign when they sell the wideband or whatever they want to call the wuoxun imports and these radios can transmit almost anywhere where you would find police/fire frequencies. This thread is meaningless enough to be locked or deleted. I wouldn't doubt these two were partners in crime, just trying to outdo the other, kb1rbh and kb1rhi were licensed on the same day. For all we know KB1RBI might be car54whereru

That's a pretty funny assumption. Both are still in custody, so unless the jails now have internet you should come up with another conspiracy theory.

Many different forums are alive the discussion of these two criminal masterminds, who were at one time roommates. What's commendable is the number of organizations that have expelled them or refused them membership.