Police are investigating bomb threats against schools in Canterbury on Thursday.
A police spokesman said investigations are ongoing after several phone threats were made to schools in Kaikoura, Rolleston, Geraldine and Ashburton.
Threats were also reported at schools in Marlborough, Masterton, Greymouth, Queenstown, Levin, Whanganui, Takaka, Dunstan and Palmerston North.
Rolleston College was one of the targeted schools. The Rolleston campus was locked earlier this afternoon and police were present, but the students have returned to class.
Meanwhile, Marlborough Girls’ College in Blenheim and other schools in the area were also voluntarily locked this afternoon.
The public was asked to avoid the area.
Police said the threat was unrelated to threats against other schools this week.
Awatapu College in Palmerston North also received a bomb threat earlier today, according to a post on the school’s Facebook page.
“The police take these kinds of threats very seriously and are investigating the source of the calls,” the spokesperson said.
“At this stage, the police do not believe there is a security risk.”
Police have also responded to threats at Wakatipu High School in Queenstown, Dunstan High School in Alexandra and Waitaki Girls’ High School in Oamaru.
Emergency services including Fire and Emergency New Zealand attended a call at Wakatipu High School and students were evacuated.
Horowhenua College also confirmed it had received a bomb threat, RNZ reported.
Greymouth High School also received a telephone threat.
“We have worked with the police and they have been to school. The police do not believe there is a security risk,” said a spokesperson.
In Kaikōura, three primary schools told RNZ they had not received any threats, while Kaikōura High School declined to comment.
Several West Coast schools also said they had not received any threats, including John Paul II High School, Blaketown School, Cobden School and Greymouth Main School.
‘Schools about the motu’
Ministry of Education hautū (leader) of operations Sean Teddy said the ministry was “aware that several schools in the motu have received a threat”.
“All schools and kura have emergency management protocols in place, which they activate if a risk is identified.
“We are in contact with those schools and kura who have received the message to provide guidance if necessary.”
Two days ago, six schools on the North Island were either closed or evacuated following telephone threats to the schools.
The Department of Education said it was aware of threats against five schools in Waikato and one school in Gisborne.
Matamata College, Matamata Intermediate, Thames High School, Cambridge High School, Firth Primary School and Lytton High School all posted on Facebook around noon that they had received threats and either evacuated students or went into lockdown.
Jocelyn Mikaere said at the time that the schools immediately started their emergency plans and that the police responded.
“Our teams are in contact with all schools and are ready to provide all necessary support,” Mikaere said on Tuesday.
A police spokesperson said officers investigated the investigation and believed there was no specific security risk.
“The investigation into the source of the threats is ongoing.
“Police thank the schools involved for following their emergency procedures and the wider school communities for their cooperation.”
An anonymous threat was also made to Marlborough Girls College on Wednesday – police attended and spoke to one person.
-RNZ, NZ Herald, Star News, ODT