Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Firefighter Accused Of Placing Fake 911 Calls In Order To Steal From Fellow Firefighters
By
Lauren Evans
Published Jul 20, 2013
Modified Jul 20, 2013
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Lauren Evans
Published Jul 20, 2013
Modified Jul 20, 2013
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
A New York City firefighter is accused of making false calls to 911 and taking advantage of his comrade's absence by sneaking into various fire houses and stealing their belongings, a Department of Investigation report reveals.
Joseph Keene admitted to placing five fake calls in order lure his colleagues away from their fire houses, reporting the smell of gas in various locations around Staten Island and Queens. He is being charged with grand larceny, petit larceny, burglary and falsely reporting an incident. Here's how the Inspector General's report describes two of the incidents:
On or about May 29, 2013, a call was made to 911 reporting a smell of gas in the vicinity of Forrest and Veltman Avenues in Staten Island, which resulted in Ladder 83 (875 Jewett Avenue, Staten Island) responding to the area. The report was determined by the FDNY to be an unfounded report. The investigation determined that the cell phone that made the 911 call is registered to Keene, and the 911 system identified that call had been made from a cell phone that was in proximity to the Ladder 83/Engine 163 firehouse. Keene has admitted that he made the 911 report of a smell of gas in the vicinity of Forrest and Veltman Avenues, and that, in sum and substance, he did so in order to enter the firehouse to take money while the Ladder 83 personnel were out responding to the call. While the firehouse was on the false call, Keene entered and stole approximately $150- $200 from the firehouse.
On or about June 2, 2013, a call was made to 911 reporting a transformer sparking in the vicinity of Victory Boulevard and Forrest Avenue in Staten Island, which resulted in Ladder 80 (1573 Castleton Ave., Staten Island) responding to the area. The report was determined by the FDNY to be an unfounded report. The investigation determined that the cell phone that made the 911 call is the same one discussed above registered to Keene, and the 911 system identified that call had been made from a cell phone that was in proximity to the 2 Ladder 80/Engine 157 firehouse. While the firehouse was responding to the false call, Keene admitted, in sum and substance, that he entered the firehouse and stole between approximately $400-$500.
“It is surprising that a firefighter would both call in fake 911 calls and steal money from colleagues," DOI Commissioner Rose Gill Hearn said in a statement. "To do so at this time, when there is a heightened need and demand for units to be responding to legitimate calls to people in need is especially outrageous."
One fellow firefighter was livid, telling the Post, "This guy committed the two cardinal sins of a firefighter. He called in fake jobs, the exact opposite of what we do, and does this to steal from the brothers. Unbelievable, it’s just unconscionable.”
Tagged
9/11
fake 911 call
fdny
firefighters
joseph keene
theft
original
Lauren Evans
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Deer are all over New Jersey roads looking for sex, state officials warn
Mid-October through mid-December is deer mating season, which can be a danger to drivers as the sex-seeking creatures cross roadways throughout the Garden State.
By
Rosemary Misdary
Published Oct 16, 2026 at 4:22 p.m. ET
Man messaged 'I got straight poison' before giving NYC college students fentanyl, feds say
A transcript from an April court hearing sheds new light on what transpired at Fashion Institute of Technology.
By
Samantha Max
News
Man messaged 'I got straight poison' before giving NYC college students fentanyl, feds say
A transcript from an April court hearing sheds new light on what transpired at Fashion Institute of Technology.
By
Samantha Max
Inside the plan to fix the nearly collapsed Pfizer Building, 1/64th of an inch at a time
By
David Brand
School bus carrying autistic students got lost in Brooklyn for 4 hours last year
By
Jessica Gould
NYC’s bridges can last 'forever,' if we take care of them
By
Clayton Guse
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .