It shall be unlawful to willfully, knowingly and without probable cause make a false report to any person of any crime or circumstances indicating the possibility of crime having been committed, including the unlawful taking of personal property, which report causes or encourages the exercise of police action or investigation, and any person violating the provisions hereof shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof shall be punished by imprisonment in the county jail for not more than ninety (90) days or by a fine of not more than Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00), or by both such fine and imprisonment.

Laws 1961, HB 810, p. 227, § 1.