Bomb threats increase nationally
Bomb scares increased 26 per cent in the past year and police say the hoaxes are having a significant impact on emergency services’ time and resources.
There were 216 bomb scares in New Zealand in 2015, 58 more than in the previous year, information obtained under the Official Information Act shows.
Police are putting the increase down to an international trend of people using new online technology to make threats.
New Zealand Police response and operations national manager Superintendent Chris Scahill said police were concerned any time a bomb threat was received and they took each situation seriously.
‘‘However, the threats received often turn out to be hoaxes and involve a significant amount of time and resources by emergency services.
‘‘This means emergency service personnel are taken away from other potentially serious or lifethreatening incidents.’’
He believed the increase in bomb threats was largely driven by online technology known as voice over internet protocol, where people could use direct voice communication over the internet.
This resulted in automated phone calls to schools.
‘‘This is an ongoing trend, which is being faced by a number of countries,’’ Scahill said.
‘‘New Zealand Police continue to work with overseas law enforcement agencies on this issue.’’
In March, more than a dozen schools across the country received bomb threats.
Police said 13 schools received calls ‘‘of a concerning nature’’.
The calls were similar to those received by 27 schools in February, where a synthesised voice said a bomb was on school property.
Two bomb scares in Manawatu last year involved the Work and Income office and Manawatu Prison.
In November, Palmerston North’s central city was locked down after a bomb scare at the Ministry of Social Development’s Work and Income offices.
About 150 people evacuated from the area.
The street was closed for two hours, but bomb-detecting dogs found nothing explosive about bags left in the area.
Manawatu Prison was also closed for two hours in August after a bomb threat.
The prison was locked down and Camp Rd closed at the entrance to Linton Military Camp.
A bomb sniffer dog was brought up from Wellington after someone called the prison to say a bomb had been left in the car park.
Police and Defence Force bomb squad members were called to the prison after the bomb threat was made.
Scahill said the number of staff deployed in response to bomb threats would depend on the risk posed, the location of the threat and the size of the property involved.
‘‘Police also have a number of resources available in the event of a bomb threat, including the specialist search group, specialist dog teams or, if needed, the NZDF bomb ordinance team.’’
Scahill said in most cases police staff would be sent to the scene to liaise with those at the site and make a risk assessment.
‘‘This may result in an evacuation of the property in order for a search to be completed to clear the address.’’
Scahill said each threat was different and police responses would be measured and appropriate to the level of potential risk. were