William Eichler 20 March 2018

Schools evacuated after hoax bomb threat

Pupils across England were evacuated yesterday after an aggrieved gamer sent a hoax email threatening to bomb one of hundreds of schools.

The email, sent to over 400 schools across London, Manchester, Yorkshire, and Lincolnshire, said there was a ‘student with a bomb’ and warned the device would be detonated unless $5,000 was paid.

The police investigated the claim and said they did not believe there was any ‘genuine threat’.

The message appeared to come from the gaming server VeltPvP, an online ‘player-versus-player’ server that allows gamers to compete in the game Minecraft.

However, the US-based company stressed on Twitter they had ‘nothing to do with the bomb threats’. They said they were being harassed by a group of ‘cyber criminals’.

 

A North Yorkshire Police Spokesperson said: ‘Our Cybercrime Unit Detectives, supported by local officers, have looked at these incidents and it is not believed there is any genuine threat.

‘We are working with schools to offer reassurance and address any concerns.’

Humberside Police issued a similar message after a number of schools across East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire received the fake bomb threat.

‘We have been liaising with our counter terrorism colleagues across the country and it is not believed that the threats are credible,’ Det Supt Tony Cockerill said.

‘We have spoken to all schools who have contacted us, reassured them that there is no need to evacuate and offered them security advice.’

 

SIGN UP
For your free daily news bulletin
Highways jobs

HR Onboarding Officer (CDC)

City Of Doncaster Council
Grade 7, £27,259 - £29,955 (Pay award pending)
You have an opportunity to be part of a busy Human Resources team which offers HR support across the Council. Doncaster, South Yorkshire
Recuriter: City Of Doncaster Council

Purchase to Pay Administrator (Fixed Term) - WMF2122e

Westmorland and Furness Council
£25,584 - £25,992
We are looking for an Administrator to join our Purchase to Pay and Accounts Receivables team Cumbria / Various
Recuriter: Westmorland and Furness Council

Social Worker - WMF2123e

Westmorland and Furness Council
£41,511 - £42,708
We’re looking for passionate social workers to join our team in Kendal following a recent reshape of our services. Kendal, Cumbria
Recuriter: Westmorland and Furness Council

Environmental Health Officer

Wyre Borough Council
£38,626 - £41,511
We are looking to appoint a full time Environmental Health Officer within the Environmental Protection and Community Safety Department. Poulton-Le-Fylde, Lancashire
Recuriter: Wyre Borough Council

Trainee Graduate Accountant

Wyre Borough Council
£25,992 - £37,938
Are you looking to kickstart your career in Finance? Poulton-Le-Fylde, Lancashire
Recuriter: Wyre Borough Council
Linkedin Banner