PART of Bournemouth University was closed on Thursday afternoon after receiving a “malicious” electronic communication which turned out to be a hoax.
Lecture theatres next to Poole House, in BU’s Talbot Campus, were closed to students and staff shortly after 2pm on Thursday, February 2, as police dealt with the incident.
Police said they have identified the individual who sent the electronic communication and found there to be “no evidence to indicate the security threat was genuine”.
Dorset Police said they take hoaxes “extremely seriously” as they divert police time away from real incidents.
A BU spokesman said the campus, including the affected building, which was cordoned off for the afternoon, will be full reopen on Friday, February 3.
Witnesses said they saw two police officers on campus and that entry to Talbot Campus via Poole House was denied and people were asked to go round the outside of the campus.
A spokesman for the force said: “Dorset Police received a report at 2.19pm on Thursday 2 February 2023 of a security alert at a lecture theatre at Bournemouth University’s Talbot Campus relating to a malicious electronic communication.
“Officers attended and assisted university staff in evacuating the building as a precaution.
“The individual who sent the electronic communication has been identified and there is no evidence to indicate the security threat was genuine. They are assisting officers with their enquiries.
“It is believed the threat was a hoax and an investigation remains ongoing. We take hoaxes extremely seriously. They divert police resources and cause disruption and alarm to the public.
“We would like to thank students at the university for their cooperation during the evacuation.”
Read more: LIVE: Bournemouth University building closed off
A spokesman for Bournemouth University said they had closed the campus due to a “safety concern”.
“Due to a safety concern, we have had to close some of the lecture theatres in and adjacent to Poole House for the rest of the day,” the spokesman said.
“All other buildings on campus remain open.”
He added: “We’d like to thank Dorset Police for their support today, all buildings will be open as normal tomorrow.”
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