Hundreds of UK schools receive emailed bomb threat, causing dozens to evacuate
Hundreds of schools across England received an electronic bomb threat on Monday, causing some to evacuate.
The electronic threat claimed a bomb was placed on school grounds and would be detonated if demands were not met.
The emails are thought to have come from the United States and have been sent across the UK, primarily to London, Northumberland and Humberside.
Schools in the West Midlands, Lincolnshire, Gloucestershire, Bristol, Bedfordshire, Manchester and Liverpool have also received the email.
Anyone reading this and worrying, it’s an email and it is a Hoax. My school received it alongside a number of others. pic.twitter.com/CuQB8LbafE
— Joe (@joe_t_93) 19 March 2018
The threat email is believed to read: ‘This is a message to everyone. We have sent in a student with a bomb. The bomb is set to go off in 3 hours time. If you do sent $5,000 USD to payments@veltpvp.com
‘If you do not send the money! We will blow up the device. Our site has all the information needed
‘If you try to call the cops we WILL blowup the device on the SPOT! ANY attempt at defusing it your self will cause it to explode.’
It is then followed by Arabic writing.
There was a national threat made to lots of schools this morning and KKS went into invacutation to ensure the safety of our site.This was in conjunction with CST and the Metropolitan Police. We have established that there is no further threat and School is now running as normal.
— Kantor King Solomon (@kingsolomonhigh) March 19, 2018
Our Lady Immaculate Catholic Primary school in Tolworth, Cardinal Road School in Feltham, west London and Thurston Community College in Suffolk have reportedly been evacuated.
At 11.10am the Metropolitan Police tweeted: ‘Police are investigating reports of communications made to a number of schools across London today, Monday, 19 March.
‘There have been no arrests. Enquiries are ongoing.’
Police are investigating reports of communications made to a number of schools across London today, Monday, 19 March.
There have been no arrests. Enquiries are ongoing.— Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) March 19, 2018
North Yorkshire police told the Mirror: ‘We have had a number of reports this morning about a bomb hoax at many of our schools across the county.
‘This is believed to be a national issue.
‘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.’
Both the Home Office and the Department for Education have advised schools that received the email to contact their local police force.