Mystery ‘oinks’ over police radio

A mystery man has found a way to broadcast pig grunts, obscene abuse, and rap music over police radio in the lower North Island.

The man has reportedly been randomly broadcasting anti-cop outbursts for months on police communications. They included reciting poems and singing.

Yesterday, an unidentified listener said the man was heard singing Old McDonald Had A Farm over police radio – specifically the pig verse, complete with oinks.

The man has also sung an obscene verse of the same children’s song, with lyrics about police officers’ mothers.

The oinking was commonplace, and sometimes ran in bursts for minutes, the listener said.

Police said interfering with a police radio was a risk to public safety, and the offender could face up to a year in prison if caught.

‘‘He oinks, and he plays rap music ... and he’ll actually talk over it ... derogatory stuff towards the cops,’’ another listener said.

‘‘Sometimes, he’ll say little poems.’’

Yesterday, police said that they were ‘‘aware of this issue’’.

They did not confirm whether the broadcasts were made using a police radio.

The broadcasts went out in the Central police district, which includes northern Kapiti Coast, Palmerston North, Norsewood and Feilding.

Police in the district still use an analogue radio system that can be listened to with a device called a radio scanner.

In 2009, police districts started changing to digital systems, which use an encrypted network that cannot be heard by criminals or the public.

Wellington was the first to make the change. Other digital districts include Auckland, Counties/ Manukau and Christchurch.

Massey University senior lecturer Faraz Hasan said it was possible to tune a transmitter to any particular channel and transmit.

‘‘In this case, apparently, a channel that police use.’’