Police confirm bomb threats at 18 locations around Singapore were part of a hoax

SINGAPORE: The Singapore Police Force (SPF) has confirmed that bomb threats were made to 18 locations – ranging from Government buildings and embassies to other prominent locations – islandwide on Wednesday morning (August 23).

The police were alerted to the threats around 9.10 am. The Environment Building was evacuated and put under lockdown in the morning after the National Environment Agency (NEA) and Public Utilities Board (PUB) received a bomb threat related to the government building.

The police worked with the security officers at each of the 18 locations to carry out security checks and found no items of security concern. The police have said that security officers or Auxiliary Police Officers (APOs) have the training required to search for and handle suspicious items.

Revealing that the threats were part of a hoax, an SPF spokesperson said: “The police are aware that similar reports of email bomb threats sent seemingly by the same person had been received by the Republic of Korea recently, which had turned out to be a hoax.”

SPF takes all security threats seriously. The police added that they will not hesitate to take action against those who deliberately spread falsehoods on bomb threats.

Members of the public are advised to stay vigilant and report any individuals or objects arousing suspicion. This includes packages displaying stains, wires, or unusual odours.

The alleged bomb threats made yesterday are in violation of Section 268A of the Penal Code 1871. Those found guilty could face a maximum prison sentence of seven years, a fine of up to S$50,000, or both.