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Teen Accused Of Jamming Police Radio

Officers Say 911 Calls Interfered With Communications

POSTED: 12:11 pm EDT October 25, 2007
UPDATED: 6:08 pm EDT October 25, 2007

A Boston teenager was in court Thursday, accused of trying to jam Boston Police radio communications.

NewsCenter 5's Steve Lacy reported that Paul Lydon, 17, went before a judge in West Roxbury District court on charges of receiving stolen property in the form of stolen calculators from West Roxbury High School where he is enrolled as a senior, and disorderly conduct.

The disorderly conduct charge stems from the alleged use of a radio that prosecutors said interfered with 911 calls.

After tracking down a signal to the teen's house on Childs Street Wednesday night, police said his mother gave them permission to enter and when they did they said they encountered Lydon holding a radio. Police said when they pushed a button Lydon's radio, the signal interfered with their radios.

Prosecutors said this is a serious offense because it could have jeopardized public safety.

"The basis for the disorderly conduct charge is that this defendant did recklessly create a risk by interfering with the police radio transmissions and that would be the basis for the disorderly charge," the prosecutor told the judge.

Lydon's parents said it was all a big misunderstanding.

"He gets on the scanner and he listens to the police and what's going on in his neighborhood. He's involved with the neighborhood watch because there's a lot of B&E's on his street. Honest to God, he's an awesome kid," his father Paul Lydon Sr. said.

"I think when I had my scanner on, my radio listening to them, it was sending feed back to them," Lydon said.

Police planned to search Lydon's home while the judge set the teen's bail at $500. He was ordered to attend school and told he cannot be out past 8 p.m. without his parents. He's scheduled to be back in court Nov. 19.

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