Hoax Bomb Threats Continue at Naval Base San Diego

SAN DIEGO, CA: Naval Base San Diego was the target of another hoax bomb threat Wednesday, bringing the series of bogus scares to 16, officials with the U.S. Navy said.

The written message was found on Pier 7 at the Barrio Logan-area station about 10:15 a.m., according to the Navy.

Military police conducted a sweep of the area, finding nothing hazardous, said Helen Haase, a spokeswoman for Navy Region Southwest. The investigators gave an all-clear shortly before 11:30 a.m., Haase said.

Since November 2015, similar threatening messages have been popping up in bathrooms and on stairways, walls and piers at the base on the eastern San Diego Harbor, as well as the neighboring BAE Shipyards and NASSCO, prompting multiple emergency responses over the past few months.

"While the threats have been vague, officials consider them sufficient to warrant evacuations and searches," Navy officials said Wednesday, asking the public's help in identifying the person or persons responsible for the threats.

"Not only have these threats caused work stoppages and disruptions to operations, the incidents pull a large number of U.S. Navy first responders, NCIS personnel and San Diego Harbor Police from other investigations and the execution of their duties," officials said. "The impact extends beyond the shipyards creating possible operational delays for U.S. Navy ships and the execution of our national defense."

The Naval Criminal Investigative Service, BAE Systems and NASSCO are offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to an arrest in the false bomb threats that have delayed the schedules of those working on U.S. Navy ships.

"Threats of this nature are serious offenses requiring a significant response from law enforcement and enhancement to our force protection measures," said Special Agent in Charge Gunnar Newquist. "We are committed to protecting the lives of these workers and the property of the United States government. We continue to work this investigation with full confidence in identifying and prosecuting the individual(s) responsible to the fullest extent possible."

Anyone with information concerning the incidents was asked to contact NCIS by calling 619-556-1364. Tips can be submitted anonymously by sending a text message to 274637 (CRIMES). Type "NCIS" at the beginning of the text, then type and send the message, including as much information as possible, officials said.

City News Service contributed to this report.

(Photos courtesy of Public Affairs Office for Commander Navy Region Southwest)