By Jessica Sacco / jsacco@wickedlocal.com
April 22. 2014 5:01PM
Cops offer $5K reward, investigate bomb hoax at Melrose High School
bomb hoax
Police brought bomb-sniffing dogs to Melrose High School on April 17 in response to a bomb threat. Anyone who can provide police with information about the perpetrator of the hoax could earn a reward of up to $5,000. Tips can be reported by calling 1-800-682-9229.
Police are offering up to $5,000 to anyone who can provide information about the person responsible for the latest bomb threat at Melrose High School (MHS).
Officials responded to the hoax at MHS — which was the third one of the current school year — on April 17 after a student found a threat written on a piece of paper in the third-floor boys’ bathroom.
“It was an indication of a bomb,” Lt. Mark DeCroteau said on the day of the threat.
MHS was evacuated, searched and cleared within a few hours with no suspicious items found.
Following the incident, the Melrose Police Department began working with state police to launch a reward program.
Anyone who can provide useful information to police about the culprit(s) could earn as much as $5,000 from the state-funded initiative.
“The goal is to assist us with identifying the individual or individuals involved,” Melrose Police Chief Mike Lyle said. “Hopefully the individual or individuals involved in this bomb threat are apprehended and certainly will be dealt with to the fullest extent of the law.”
In order for a person to collect the reward, the information presented to police would need to lead to a successful development in the case and the prosecution of the person(s) responsible.
Those who know something about the bomb scare are encouraged to call 1-800-682-9229. All calls are strictly confidential (tipsters will not be used as witnesses for any criminal case).
“Whoever did this needs to know, particularly after the anniversary of Boston Marathon bombings, it is an outrageous offense against every member of this community,” Mayor Rob Dolan said. “Whoever wishes to help us with information will not only have the thanks from their community, but will be given a reward if it leads to the apprehension of this individual.”
ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE
Officials are looking at any supplementary tools they can utilize to help determine who is responsible for the continuous bomb threats.
“We’re not going to stop until we get this person,” Dolan said. “This is a serious assault against the high school and our community.”
Dolan said that police will use other state resources to help in the ongoing investigation, although he declined to comment on the exact nature of assistance.
“Our detectives are doing an exceptional job, but what we’re saying is, we are asking for additional assistance in terms of expertise that a local police department may not have to find and apprehend this individual,” he said.
The mayor added that this could include technology, handwriting analysis, forensics and general experience in these types of incidents.
AN ONGOING PROBLEM
Numerous threats have been reported at MHS over the past few years — at least one annually since 2011.
There were two false threats made earlier this school year — in September and December — and in both cases, the threat was founded written in a boys’ bathroom.
In January, the city began planning new measures to discourage students from making false threats.
School officials said students would be required to take a bathroom pass when they leave the classroom, and would have to sign in and out on a sheet of paper.
To further deter students from leaving threatening messages, especially in bathrooms, they planned to install additional cameras throughout sections of the school. Officials said the cameras would be paid for using money earmarked for high school renovations.
Dolan told the Free Press this week that school officials are still working with city engineers to install the cameras.
“We’re working on it every day, but the building is tough,” he said. “We’re not going to stop until that’s completed.”
so, it seems they've caught at least one of the kids. hopefully this will put the kibosh on any repeat performances.