Coast Guard hunting serial prank caller in Maryland
BALTIMORE -The U.S. Coast Guard is working to find a man they say has been calling in fake distress alerts for the last 2 years.
The Coast Guard told CBS Baltimore whoever is making these calls is from Maryland and is getting bolder now, making multiple ones a night.
"Mayday, mayday, mayday," says the prank caller.
The Coast Guard told CBS Baltimore they want the public's help to zero in on the caller. The problem: it's all been a hoax
The false alarm calls cost the Coast Guard about $500,000. That's money a prank caller would have to pay back on top of facing up to 6 years in prison, and hefty civil and criminal fines.
However, it all pales in comparison at the real threat behind fake distress calls.
"It could cause the potential loss of life for someone else who really is in harm's way," said Lt. Cmdr. Sara Wallace, with the U.S. Coast Guard.
"If you're out there doing these distress calls, please stop because it puts all of us in danger," said one boater.
The Coast Guard said they believe the man lives somewhere between the Loretta Heights and Admiral Drive in Annapolis.
Unfortunately, it's a problem that goes beyond one caller.
"I'm sinking, I'm sinking, I repeat, I'm sinking I'm sinking," said another prank caller.
The Coast Guard's investigative service is asking anyone who might know who this person is to contact them. In 2010, a Florida man was sentenced to four years in prison for making prank calls to the Coast Guard, among other crimes.