Police in cities across the Front Range were investigating multiple bomb threats Thursday afternoon, part of a string of threats the FBI says are occurring around the country.
This comes just hours after more than 20 Jefferson County schools were put on lockout following an unfounded bomb threat to Columbine High School.
Authorities said the bomb threats sent Thursday to dozens of schools, government buildings and other locations across the U.S. appear to be a hoax.
In Colorado, threats have been reported by police in Denver, Aurora, Colorado Springs, Broomfield and Fort Collins.
Aurora police spokeswoman Crystal McCoy said there were threats made at 5001 S. Parker Road, the 3700 block of South Truckee Way and 22515 E. Aurora Pkwy.
#APDAlert APD is currently working 3 different #BombThreats in our city. These investigations are utilizing a lot of our police resources. There are NATIONWIDE bomb threats that are happening right now around the country as well. https://t.co/3HVa5lCrPV
— Aurora Police Dept (@AuroraPD) December 13, 2018
These locations include two commercial buildings and one residence, McCoy said.
Denver Police spokeswoman Christine Downs said the department was alerted to “numerous” bomb threats between 11:30 a.m and noon, but she would not say how many there were or what the threats targeted.
“We have received three threats and they are depleting our resources,” McCoy said. Aurora police have been in contact with the FBI, she said.
Fort Collins police tweeted that they had received several reports of emailed bomb threats with bitcoins demanded as payment. “None of the reports have been substantiated,” police said. “This appears to be a nationwide scam.”
The Colorado Springs Police Department received 19 separate threats beginning at 11:20 a.m., Lt. Howard Black said in a release. “No schools or businesses have reduced their schedules due to these threats,” the statement said.
Broomfield police also said they had received one threat. “It appears there’s a Grinch at work here!” they tweeted.
The FBI’s Washington Field office tweeted that, “We are aware of the recent bomb threats made in cities around the country.”
Law enforcement agencies across the country dismissed the threats, which they said were meant to cause disruption and compel recipients into sending money and are not considered credible.
Some of the emails had the subject line: “Think Twice.” The sender claimed to have had an associate plant a small bomb in the recipient’s building and that the only way to stop him from setting it off was by making an online payment of $20,000 in Bitcoin.
“We are currently monitoring multiple bomb threats that have been sent electronically to various locations throughout the city,” the New York City Police Department’s counterterrorism unit tweeted. “These threats are also being reported to other locations nationwide & are NOT considered credible at this time.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
This story is developing and will be updated.