Regional businesses targeted in bomb-threat hoax wave

Businesses across Connecticut were part of a wave of emailed bomb-threat hoaxes that swept across North America yesterday afternoon.

In Connecticut, the threats began to appear around 1 p.m. Within Fairfield County, police departments in Bridgeport, Darien, Fairfield, Newtown, Norwalk, Ridgefield and Westport responded to the threats, which claimed bombs would be set off on properties unless a $20,000 ransom payment was delivered by bitcoin. Among the local target for these threats were AmeriCares and Hancock Hall in Danbury, the Country Club of Fairfield and the National Shooting Association in Newtown; other targets across the state included the Griswold Elementary School, Quinnipiac University and the Senior Center in Bristol. Properties were evacuated after receiving the threatening emails were evacuated, but no evidence of explosive devices were located.

“To date, none of the threats were found to be creditable but we strongly encourage anyone who may receive a suspicious email to immediately call 911,” the Connecticut State Police said in a statement.

The bomb threats appeared to be part of coordinated effort that impacted cities around the U.S. and Canada with similar promises of destruction if a bitcoin ransom went unpaid. The source of the threats has not yet been determined.