Police investigation after bomb threats force evacuations of schools, companies across New Zealand
A police investigation is underway after a fresh spate of bomb threats targeting multiple organisations across New Zealand today.
Educational campuses have been evacuated and parents asked to collect their children after anonymous threats were made.
Just before lunchtime, Tauranga City Council was forced to evacuate its Devonport Rd building as a precautionary measure after receiving a bomb threat.
Rotorua Lakes Council posted on Facebook this afternoon that it had closed its Civic Centre for the rest of the day in response to a security threat.
Detective Inspector Glenn Baldwin said police believed the threats to be low risk.
“The Cybercrime team, supported by staff in other police districts, have initiated an investigation and are working to determine the source of the emails.”
Tauranga Mayor Mahé Drysdale said the threat was “most likely a hoax”, but it had to be taken seriously.
“We’ve had a bomb threat to the building. We’ve spoken to police.
“We’ve got our teams looking at CCTV footage ... to try to understand. It’s most likely a hoax, however, we’ve got to protect our staff and keep everyone safe as much as we can.”
Rotorua Mayor Tania Tapsell said the threat was “surprising and sad”, and that people were left to feel unsafe in the workplace and schools today.
“Bomb threats are not something that we expect or tolerate in our country or communities, and we’re really feeling for those who were impacted or felt scared for themselves or loved ones,” Tapsell said.
“Threats of violence are unacceptable, especially towards our schools and children.”
She praised the swift response from the police and hoped those behind the threat would be held to account.
Whangaparāoa School in Auckland emailed parents, saying the school had received an “anonymous bomb threat”.
“Even though we doubt the validity of the threat, we feel our role is to make sure that our children and staff are safe,” the email read.
The email asked parents and caregivers to collect children.
Christchurch Girls’ High School was placed into a lockdown shortly before 10am after receiving a “threatening email”.
The school said the Ministry of Education had advised the lockdown.
“During this period the police were on-site and have assured us that we are safe to resume normal operations.”
Three police cars were seen at the school.
The lockdown was lifted about 10.30am, with an email being sent to parents and caregivers stating everyone on-site was “safely accounted for”.
The Ara Institute evacuated its campuses in Timaru and Christchurch after a bomb threat was received.
Geoff Short, Ministry of Education deputy secretary for education services, said the impacted schools had followed their established emergency management procedures “with the safety and wellbeing of students and staff top of mind”.
Short also reiterated that police were following up on the incidents and support would be provided to those who require it.
“We understand how disruptive and distressing these incidents can be and want to acknowledge the careful and considered way these schools are responding.
“We are here to provide support, if needed.”
Concerned parents have taken to social media, saying Fairburn School and Bairds Mainfreight Primary School had also received threats.
“Absolutely the scariest text/email to see, almost ended up in tears,” one parent wrote.
“Threat or not, can’t take things lightly when it’s our babies involved,” another said.
Another parent said they saw parents in cars “speeding to get their kids” from school.
Police have urged anyone with information to contact them on 105.
Teenage boy charged after online bomb threat investigation
In May, police arrested a teenager in Invercargill as part of an investigation into bomb threats sent to educational and public sites.
At the time, public and educational facilities around Auckland, including Unitec and the Auckland Art Gallery, were evacuated after a wave of threatening emails.
Acting on information gathered by Auckland-based detectives, Southland police searched an Invercargill residential address.
Southland area commander Inspector Mike Bowman said at the time the teenage boy was taken into custody without incident.
He was charged with two counts of threatening to kill or do grievous bodily harm.
Bowman said at the time it was unlikely the young person could have followed through on the threats.
“Regardless, threats of this nature are taken extremely seriously.”