North Suburban Businesses Get Bomb Threats In Extortion Scam

CHICAGO — Dozens of bomb threats were sent to businesses and institutions around the Chicago area, including several around north suburban communities. The emailed messages demand payments to a Bitcoin account in order to avoid the detonation of hidden explosive devices. None of the threats have been found to be credible and no explosives have been found in connection with nationwide reports of the extortionate hoax emails.

"There have been multiple reports throughout Illinois and even neighboring states regarding emailed or robo-called bomb threats to businesses and other establishments," according to police in Morton Grove, where a library was targeted. "The basic idea of these messages is that the business or a person needs to wire a bunch of money to someone utilizing bitcoins or another method in order to stop the bomb that is alleged to be planted in their place."

A hospital was targeted in Evanston, where 24 administrative employees reported getting the same email from different senders, according to police. The email demanded $20,000 worth of Bitcoin or a bomb would be detonated.

Four businesses reported receiving the unfounded threats in Northbrook between 1:30 and 2 p.m., at which point county and state authorities had begun notifying local agencies of the pattern, according to Deputy Chief Dan Strickland.

"They go along the same line, they talk about one of their associates has placed a small device in the building, not large enough to destroy the building, but certainly cause casualties," Strickland said. The emails were not all identical, but they were "more than just similarly worded. Somebody had kind of a format."

The Lake County Sheriff's Office and the Cook County Sheriff's police both said local businesses had received such threatening emails. Lake County sheriff's deputies responded to two business in unincorporated areas of Fremont and Cuba townships. The wording in both threats is identical to emails other businesses have received, according to Sgt. Chris Covelli.

One of the emailed threats led to the evacuation of the Wintrust Financial Center in Rosemont at 9700 W. Higgins Road around shortly before 1 p.m. after property managers pulled a fire alarm in response to one of the threats, the Rosemont Journal reported.

Glenview police were called to a car dealership in the 2000 block of Waukegan Road after it received one of the emails.

At least one business each in Park Ridge and Des Plaines received one of the emails, police said. The Park Ridge Herald-Advocate reported that the Morton Grove Public Library also received a threat.

The Waukegan City Hall received one of the threats and was checked by police and fire personnel, the Lake County News-Sun reported. There were also reports of business targeted in the area of Mundelein and Round Lake.

Lake Bluff police said one business on Route 176 received one of the emails. It did not result in any evacuation of business, which was not named. Pioneer Press reported police alerted local schools of the situation and are working with business owners and other agencies to investigate the source of the emails.

Several threats were also reported in Chicago, where police said the threats have followed a similar pattern. A Chicago police spokesperson said the department was working with federal investigators.

"At this time there is no elevated threat level for the city of Chicago," according to Anthony Gugliemi.

In a statement, the FBI said it was aware of recent bomb threats and encouraged the public to "remain vigilant and to promptly report suspicious activities which could represent a threat to public safety."

More:

• Bomb Threats Reported In Chicago Area
• DuPage Sheriff Targeted In Nationwide Bomb Threats
• Bomb Threats At Aurora City Hall, Rush Copley: Reports