Dear Resident,

Earlier this month, we received a web chat message at about 1am from a member of the public claiming to have heard three gun shots, followed by lots of screaming and shouting coming from his neighbour's house. 

The man on web chat stopped replying to messages as the operator tried to gain more information about the situation.

He then replied to say that although he wanted to report this, he didn't want to get involved, and went offline.

The man came back online shortly afterwards and sent another message explaining that a bomb had just gone off at the same location. 

The operator quickly dispatched officers to the scene, and checked the man's IP address to confirm the location. 

The IP address he was messaging from was traced to London, despite claiming to be the neighbour of a property in Cambridge. 

This raised alarm bells for the operator, who then received calls from both Essex and Durham Police, explaining that they had also received web chat messages about gun shots and bombs going off at the address in Cambridge.

Despite using different names to report it to the other force areas, the IP addresses were all the same: in London. 

When officers arrived at the scene, there were no signs of distress, and certainly no evidence that a bomb had gone off. 

Officers searched the area and after knocking on the door of the house in question, a confused man answered, unaware of why anyone would have called the police.

After conducting some checks, it was confirmed as a hoax so a crime was raised and the man who sent the messages was firmly warned that pranks like this can lead to up to six months in prison or a fine of £5,000. 

Calls like this one not only waste valuable police time and resources, but they can also cost lives. 

Officers and staff in our control room get tied up ensuring officer and public safety, when they could be investing their attention in other people who are in genuine need of help.

Please help us to reduce the number of inappropriate calls we receive by warning your friends and family members about the dangers of hoax calling.

Learn more on our website: https://orlo.uk/vZaRX

#SaferCambs #NoJokeToHoax

Kind regards,