CHARLOTTE, North Carolina — The Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department is investigating after multiple unsubstantiated bomb threats were reported on Thursday, December 13.
Police nationwide were stretched thin responding to dozens of bomb threats that came in through emails in at least 21 states.
Investigators believe this might be a mass hoax. The threats all targeted apartments, government buildings, schools, churches and banks -- several of which in the Charlotte area.
They threats asked for bitcoin in exchange for not detonating a bomb.
CMPD told WCNC the threats came in via email to businesses stretching from North Charlotte to Ballantyne around 1:30 p.m.
All the reported threats were found to be unsubstantiated by CMPD. The first report happened at The Vue in Uptown. The office reportedly received a spam email that a small bomb was hidden in the building. The email threatened that the device would detonate if the sender did not receive 20,000 bitcoin.
CMPD says they have responded to bomb threats at 16 different locations throughout the Charlotte area. All of the threats came in between 1:37 pm and 3:53 pm.
The threats were similar to others reported across the country this afternoon. No suspicious packages or devices were located at any of the locations.
The Charlotte locations are: 200 block of West Martin Luther King Boulevard, 200 block of North Pine Street, 1300 block of Baxter Street, 600 block of East 5th Street, 300 block of South Tryon Street, 3300 block of Rainbow Circle, 3100 block of Cullman Avenue, 4400 block of Taggart Creek Road, 1300 block of Continental Boulevard, 10000 block of Ballantyne Commons Parkway, 200 block of North College Street, 2200 block of Coronation Boulevard, 300 block of Doggett Street, 900 block of Culp Road, 3700 block of Glen Lake Road and 13400 block of South Ridge Road.
Anyone with additional information concerning these cases is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600.
The York County Sheriff's Office is investigating three separate bomb threats, one off Public Works Drive in York and two in the Fort Mill area -- one on Market Street and one on Springhill Farm Road. All three threats have since been cleared.The bomb threats were received via email.
"We are aware of the recent bomb threats made in cities around the country, and we remain in touch with our law enforcement partners to provide assistance," FBI Charlotte Division said in response to the threats. "As always, we encourage the public to remain vigilant and to promptly report suspicious activities which could represent a threat to public safety."
Boone Police responded to multiple bomb threats Thursday afternoon. The following locations were responded to: the 800 block of State Farm Road, Blue Ridge Medical Offices, 2200 block of NC Highway 105, Ross Automotive, 100 block of Furman Road, Executive Arts Building.
All threats in Boone were received by via e-mail. None of these threats were credible, and all were perpetrated in a similar fashion as is reported nationwide.
Stick with WCNC for the latest on this developing story.