DENVER (AP) — Threats made against schools across the United States led to the evacuation of students Monday in what could be the latest example of so-called "swatting" against schools. 
 
 In recent months, hoaxers playing online games have allegedly used proxy servers and other high-tech identity-disguising tools to anonymously threaten schools online or in phone messages with electronic voices to trigger a huge police response, including SWAT teams. 
 
 The latest threats led to the evacuation of schools in Colorado, Utah, Delaware, Minnesota, New Hampshire and Wisconsin. Media outlets in the United Kingdom also reported evacuations. 
 
 The threats were made against elementary, middle and high schools, with some schools choosing to continue classes and others to put buildings on lockdown rather than evacuate. Some schools resumed classes after sweeps by authorities failed to turn up explosives or other threats. 
 
 Some officials described Monday's threats as automated or robotic and at least two — at Lakewood High School outside Denver and at Ben Franklin Elementary School in Rochester, Minnesota — came in just before noon local time. Also in Minnesota, Forest Lake Elementary in the city of Forest Lake was evacuated after getting a bomb-threat call around 12:15 p.m. 
 
 Meanwhile, students at Murray High School outside Salt Lake City were sent home and bomb-sniffing dogs were brought in. No explosives were found. 
 
 Two elementary schools were evacuated in Colorado — Liberty Point Elementary School in Pueblo West and Cherokee Trail Elementary in the Denver suburb of Parker. Cherokee Trail is in the same district where two 16-year-old girls are accused of plotting an attack against their high school. No other schools in the district were evacuated, spokeswoman Paula Hans said. ||||| Bomb threats forced the closure of 26 schools across the UK today as students prepared to sit their GCSE exams. 
 
 Thousands of pupils were evacuated after a series of anonymous phone calls warning of hidden explosives were received by school offices up and down the country this morning. 
 
 Many students were pulled from school grounds in the middle of their exams as emergency services swooped on scene to carry out searches, in what appears to have been an elaborate hoax. 
 
 A similar incident occurred in January when a Russian Twitter group was believed to have been responsible for a series of bomb threats which saw 14 schools evacuated in Britain. 
 
 The group had invited pupils to get in touch if they wanted to 'get out of school' - raising speculation that students may have devised a similar hoax to avoid today's exams. 
 
 Scroll down for video 
 
 Three schools in Peterborough were also evacuated and a road was closed following a bomb threat. Pictured are police outside Discovery Primary School 
 
 Students cleared from the exam have been sent to a tennis hall while non-exam pupils have been sent home for the day 
 
 Bomb threats have forced the closure of 26 schools across the UK on a day of GCSE exams. The map shows some of the schools which are affected 
 
 SCHOOLS WHICH HAVE BEEN EVACUATED DUE TO BOMB ALERTS 1. Canterbury Academy, Kent 
 
 2. Barming Primary School, Maidstone 
 
 3. Voyager Academy, Peterborough 
 
 4. Discover Primary School, Peterborough 
 
 5. Wootton Upper School, Bedfordshire 
 
 6. Redwood School, Rochdale 
 
 7. Oulder Hill School, Rochdale 
 
 8. Emsworth Primary School, Hampshire 
 
 9. Kingsham Primary School, Chichester 
 
 10. Whiteley Primary School, Fareham 
 
 11. Rosebrook Primary School, Stockton 
 
 12. Cranmere Primary School, Surrey 
 
 13. Mayfield Primary School, Cambridge 
 
 14. Blacon High School, Cheshire 
 
 15. Crabtree Farm Primary School, Nottingham 
 
 16. Lindisfarne Middle School, Northumberland 
 
 17. Charville Primary School, Middlesex 
 
 18. Dafen Community Primary School, Llanelli 
 
 19. Pinhoe Primary School, Exeter 
 
 20. Middleton Primary School, Leeds 
 
 21. Ringmer Primary School, East Sussex 
 
 22. Maldon Primary School, Essex 
 
 23. Barnwell School, Stevenage 
 
 24. Charlestown Primary School, Cornwall 
 
 25. Caversham Primary School, Reading 
 
 26. Devonport High School for Girls, Plymouth 
 
 The first reports of a bomb scare were at Canterbury High School after an anonymous caller said there was a bomb on site and that 'the shrapnel will take children's heads off'. 
 
 All pupils were evacuated from the academy, including 240 pupils sitting a GCSE English exam. 
 
 Students cleared from the exam were then sent to a tennis hall while non-exam pupils were sent home for the day. 
 
 Head teacher Phil Karnavas said secretarial staff received 'repeated' calls from an adult male claiming an explosive device was hidden in the school. 
 
 He said: 'The exact words, I believe, were "bomb on site, shrapnel will take children's heads off". 
 
 'It's almost certainly a hoax but with what's happening across Europe I'm not prepared to take that gamble.' 
 
 The head teacher decided to clear the buildings immediately as police were called in. 
 
 Pupils were initially sent to the fields but, with rain pouring down, Mr Karnavas decided to send them home. 
 
 Those 240 who were sitting the GCSE English exam were expected to complete the paper this afternoon. 
 
 Police confirmed that an anonymous call was made at 10.13am and that the school was evacuated as a precaution. 
 
 A Kent Police spokesman said: 'Police were called to Canterbury High School at 10.13am on Monday 23 May after an anonymous phone call was made to the school. 
 
 'The school has been evacuated as a precaution and officers are at the scene.' 
 
 Rosebrook Primary School in Stockton (pictured) said it was in 'lockdown' in a status on Facebook 
 
 Canterbury High School (pictured) headteacher Phil Karnavas said secretarial staff received 'repeated' calls from an adult male claiming an explosive device was hidden in the school 
 
 A Stockton primary school also went into lockdown after receiving a similar threat. 
 
 A post on the Rosebrook Primary School Facebook page read: 'You may be aware of police presence at school. 
 
 'We have received a threat to the school but please be assured the children are safe, we are dealing with the incident and the school is on lockdown at the moment.' 
 
 A further post said: 'School is on partial lockdown, the children can be picked up at 3pm as normal or if you would like to collect your child, please come to the main office.' 
 
 Parents of Pinhoe Primary School in Exeter received the text from the school which read: 'Please can all pupils be collected from their classroom today. 
 
 'We will look after those pupils who normally walk home until they can be collected. 
 
 'This is a precautionary measure following a malicious phone call to the school. Police are aware.' 
 
 A spokesperson for the Rudyard Avenue school, in Roseworth, gave no comment when asked about the threat but many parents commenting on the post were worried at the lack of information provided. 
 
 It is understood parents received a text message about the threat. 
 
 One parent commented: 'I'm going to pick my daughter up! Can't just send us a text and expect us to sit at home while our children are in that school!!!' 
 
 Voyager Academy (pictured) and Discovery Primary School were cordoned off by police as they examine the buildings 
 
 Emergency services at the entrance of Discovery Primary School in Peterborough this afternoon 
 
 Another user wrote: 'Morning nursery kids have been let out but nobody else is allowed in or out of school now, gates are all locked. No idea what's happened but they are keeping the kids safe inside.' 
 
 Cleveland Police said it had a 'small presence' at the school. 
 
 Chief Inspector Emily Harrison said: 'Police received information from Rosebrook Primary School to say that they had answered an anonymous telephone call of a concerning nature. 
 
 'As a precautionary measure there is a small police presence at the school and in the local area while enquiries continue, but officers at the scene say there is currently no immediate confirmed risk to pupils or teachers. 
 
 'Nursery children have left their morning session and other pupils continue to be cared for as usual. We would ask that parents do not attend the school unnecessarily.' 
 
 Three schools in Peterborough were also evacuated and a road was closed following a bomb threat. 
 
 Voyager Academy, Mayfield Primary and Discovery Primary School were cordoned off by police as they examine the buildings. 
 
 A Cambridgeshire Police spokesman said they believe the threats were a hoax and are understood to be part of a series of threats at schools across the country that have taken place throughout the year. 
 
 At Canterbury High School, police swarmed the after an anonymous caller said there was a bomb on site and that 'the shrapnel will take children's heads off' 
 
 In Hampshire, Emsworth Primary School received a bomb threat and was evacuated, with pupils and staff were taken to the nearby Glenwood School. 
 
 Headteacher Kate Fripp told UKNIP: 'There has been a security incident at Emsworth Primary School today. 
 
 'All children are safe and are at Glenwood School receiving refreshments. 
 
 'The police are on the school site and we expect to be allowed back in within the hour.' 
 
 Whiteley Primary and Kingham Primary also had security alerts. 
 
 Hampshire Police told MailOnline that the schools affected in their area received bomb threats, but nothing was found when the buildings were investigated. 
 
 Oulder Hill School and Redwood School in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, were evacuated after warnings of 'suspicious packages'. 
 
 A spokesman said Redwood Secondary School received a phone call saying 'an item had been placed' within the school. 
 
 Nothing has been found after extensive sweeps involving police and senior school staff. 
 
 Both schools are on Greave Avenue in the Spotland area of the town. 
 
 They back on to Rochdale Golf Club, with the Gracie Fields Theatre and leisure facilities including a swimming pool also part of the complex. 
 
 Canterbury High School in Canterbury, Kent, had to be evacuated after a phone call warning of a bomb 
 
 It's understood that searches were carried out by police on the rooftops and around other areas of both schools. 
 
 The force confirmed officers were called to Redwood Secondary School shortly after 11.30am. 
 
 Stuart Pidgeon, headteacher at Redwood School, said: 'A phone call was placed to Redwood school this morning that led staff to believe a suspicious device had been placed within the grounds. 
 
 'Following a full evacuation of pupils and staff at Redwood and Oulder Hill schools, police and senior staff determined that there was no device and pupils have now returned to class. 
 
 'The circumstances behind the phone call will be investigated by Greater Manchester Police as they deem appropriate.' 
 
 Blacon High School in Cheshire, Wootton Upper School in Bedfordshire and Cranmere Primary School in Surrey also had security alerts. 
 
 A parent at Cranmere Primary told Get Surrey: 'We were sent an email and a text from the school saying the school had been evacuated and our children were safe and being taken to Esher High School and to come and collect them.' 
 
 All pupils have been evacuated from Canterbury High School including 240 pupils sitting a GCSE English exam 
 
 A second school in Kent was also evacuated following a similar bomb threat. 
 
 Barming Primary School and adjoining pre-school in Maidstone was closed and evacuated, and children were moved to the nearby St Augustine Academy to await collection by parents. 
 
 Police were called at 10.19am after a report of an anonymous threatening phone call and officers remained at the scene into the afternoon. 
 
 Other threats were also made to schools across the country, including East Sussex, Cambridgeshire and Surrey. 
 
 Matthew Manders, from Maidstone, has a four-year-old daughter and two boys aged six and nine attending the primary school and pre-school. 
 
 He said: 'I feel terrible, not knowing what is going on and not being kept in the loop. My family is my life and I won't be the only parent rushing back to make sure my family is alright.' 
 
 'It is absolutely terrifying. I don't know why anybody would do something like this.' 
 
 Middleton Park School in Leeds alerted parents that it had received a bomb threat and told them to pick up their children this afternoon 
 
 Middleton Park School in Leeds alerted parents that it had received a bomb threat and told them to pick up their children this afternoon. 
 
 A text from the school read: 'You may be aware that we had a hoax bomb threat this morning and evacuated the build (sic) immed. 
 
 'All is well Police have allowed us to re-enter the building but pls collect your child from school asap. Thanks MPS.' 
 
 Ringmer Primary School in East Sussex told that it was 'not appropriate or practical' to re-open the school after it was deemed safe. 
 
 Chair of Governors, Anne Franklin, said: 'A thorough search with the police deemed the school safe for us to return this afternoon but it was not appropriate or practical for us to re-open the school for the children. 
 
 'At this time the staff involved are still giving their statements to police. Our thanks go to RCC for their help and support during the alert. 
 
 'They enabled us to maintain complete safety of the children and even provided lunch for the remaining children and staff. Our task this afternoon is to review our crisis management plan as we would always expect to do after an incident like this. 
 
 'We have subsequently discovered that a number of schools up and down the UK have had similar threats today and took similar action in response. 
 
 'We are confident there is no threat to the school and we will be open as normal tomorrow.' 
 
 Messages on the Russian group's website read: 'We LOVE to cause mayhem and 'We hate authority' 
 
 In January, a Russian Twitter group was believed to be behind a series of bomb threats which saw thousands of pupils evacuated from 14 schools in Britain and six in Paris. 
 
 The group, which called themselves 'Evacuators 2K16', invited pupils to get in touch if they wanted to 'get out of school'. 
 
 After children were removed from six schools in Birmingham, four in London and four in Cornwall, the group was closed down. ||||| CLOSE Schools across different 4 different time zones received "swatting" calls. The threats drew massive police response and forced authorities to evacuate students and lock down buildings. USA TODAY 
 
 Parents line up to reunite with their children at Sacajawea Elementary School. The entire student body of North Middle School, numbering 711 students, was evacuated to Sacajawea following a bomb threat Monday. (Photo: Tribune photo/David Murray) 
 
 A wave of threats directed at schools across the nation on Monday forced authorities to lock down buildings or evacuate students. 
 
 The threats, which appear to be driven by automated calls, were directed at elementary, middle and high schools in at least 18 states across four time zones. 
 
 Some districts reported that the calls included a bomb threat while others just described the calls as "threatening." 
 
 The calls were reported in California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Utah, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin. 
 
 Ken Trump, a national school security expert and president of a school security consulting firm, said Monday’s nationwide bomb hoaxes have the hallmarks of swatting. 
 
 Swatting, according to Trump, are “highly disruptive” hoax threats that are intended to trigger massive police response. Trump said they are often described as robotic, computer-generated voices that call in threats to schools or police departments. 
 
 A single swatting case can impact multiple states, jurisdictions and even travel across international borders, Trump said. 
 
 Per PSLPD-- Treasure Coast HS cleared, students being sent back to class. @WPTVpic.twitter.com/iVum7bGQMG — Katie Johnson (@Katie_Johnson_) May 23, 2016 
 
 “They tend to come in waves,” he said. “We’ve seen them cross six states in an afternoon.” 
 
 Trump said swatting incidents have “skyrocketed” nationwide in the past two years. 
 
 “(Swatting) suspects are often more sophisticated,” he said. “They can use Voice Over IP (Internet Protocol) systems or other technologies that can be virtually impossible to track down.” 
 
 The Federal Bureau of Investigation responded to a request for comment, writing, "We are aware of recent bomb threats at various schools in different states, and we remain in touch with our law enforcement partners to provide assistance if needed. As always, we encourage the public to remain vigilant and to promptly report suspicious activities which could represent a threat to public safety." 
 
 Lee Allinger, superintendent of schools in Appleton, Wis., said he can't remember a string of threats like this that seem to be connected. Janet Berry Elementary School in Appleton received an automated threat at about 11:45 a.m. 
 
 (Photo: Tribune photo/David Murray) 
 
 "It's the first one that I can recall that's been of this nature, where it's been an automated call or a robo kind of call and that it's been widespread — not just next door to us but across the state and the country," he said. 
 
 Tom McCarthy, a Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction spokesperson, said the department did not know how many schools statewide had received threats. He did not comment on the string of bomb hoaxes. 
 
 In the United Kingdom, at least 21 schools received bomb threats as well, according to The Independent. The Daily Mail reported 26 schools were closed. 
 
 The USA TODAY NETWORK has not confirmed that any of the threats are connected. 
 
 Bomb Threat Calls Target Schools In Colorado, Midwest https://t.co/M3UFLpwHTFpic.twitter.com/q8sb6YYwm1 — Karen Morfitt (@KarenMorfitt) May 24, 2016 
 
 California 
 
 Clairemont and Lincoln high schools (San Diego): The schools were placed on lockdown after officials received threats. Police swept the schools and lifted the lockdown after nothing suspicious was found, BNO News B.V., The Netherlands, reported. 
 
 Washington Middle School (Bakersfield): The school went into a lockdown Monday morning after receiving an anonymous bomb threat, KGET-TV, Bakersfield, Calif., reported. Police officers and a police dog searched the school and surrounding area. School resumed after the area was determined to be safe. The call sounded like it was automated. 
 
 An unspecified threat prompted authorities to evacuate Cherokee Trail Elementary School in Parker, Colo. (Photo: KUSA-TV, Denver) 
 
 Colorado 
 
 Cherokee Trail Elementary (Parker): Students were evacuated Monday afternoon after “anonymous threats to schools around the state,” the Parker Police Department said in a tweet. Parents and caregivers were able to pick up their children, and some streets around the school were closed off. 
 
 Irish Elementary School (Fort Collins): Students were evacuated after a recorded phone call came in at 11:30 a.m. No credible threat was found. Students returned to class half an hour after they were evacuated. 
 
 Lakewood High School: The school received a threat by phone that officials believe was automated, KCNC-TV, Denver, reported. Officials did not evacuate the school because the school district has received automated threats previously this school year. 
 
 Liberty Point Elementary School (Pueblo West): Officials evacuated the school shortly after 1 p.m. after a bomb threat was received, KCNC-TV reported. 
 
 Nevin J. Platt Middle School (Boulder): The middle school was swept by local law enforcement after someone left an automated threat, KCNC-TV reported. 
 
 The Colorado Springs School: The school was evacuated and students were sent to Broadmoor Elementary School after the school received a bomb threat, KKTV-TV, Colorado Springs, Colo., reported. 
 
 Delaware 
 
 Bomb threats were reported at six Delaware schools. 
 
 East Millsboro Elementary School: Police learned at 11:09 a.m. that a man had called the school and said there was a bomb inside. Beacon Middle School in Lewes, Polytech High School in Woodside and Stanton Middle School in Wilmington received similar calls within the next half hour. 
 
 Automated bomb threats were also reported at Mispillion Elementary School in Milford and Sunnyside Elementary School in Smyrna earlier in the morning. 
 
 Florida 
 
 Storm Grove Middle School (Vero Beach): Students were sent to Sebastian River High School after an automated bomb threat was called in to the middle school. Parents picked up their children from there. 
 
 Treasure Coast High School (Port St. Lucie): The school was evacuated after receiving a bomb threat shortly after 11 a.m. The school was searched, no explosives were found and students were allowed to return to class. 
 
 Iowa 
 
 Altoona: The school received a bomb threat at 11:54 a.m. saying bombs were inside the school. Students were relocated to a local church, where parents were able to pick them up. Buses will run Monday for parents who cannot pick up their children. 
 
 Valley High School (West Des Moines): The school received a bomb threat Monday afternoon. Students who could drive were allowed to go home while students who take the school bus were taken to a safe location until buses could take them home. 
 
 Tate High School (Iowa City): The school received an automated bomb threat. Students were sent home so police could assess the threat. 
 
 Excelsior Middle School (Marion): The school was immediately evacuated after receiving a bomb threat about 12:30 p.m. The school dismissed students to parents and guardians. 
 
 Maine 
 
 Hall-Dale Middle School & High School (Farmingdale): Students were evacuated for about three hours after the school received a bomb threat Monday morning, MaineToday Media reported. 
 
 (Photo: file photo) 
 
 Maryland 
 
 Showell Elementary School (Berlin): The school was evacuated at about 11:25 a.m. because of an automated bomb threat. 
 
 Massachusetts 
 
 Willett Elementary School (Attleboro): The school was evacuated as a precaution after a bomb threat was called into the school. Students and staff returned to the building after police swept the school and deemed it safe, the school reported. 
 
 Charlton Middle School: Students were evacuated just after 10 a.m. Monday and sent to Heritage School after the school received a bomb threat, WFXT-TV, Dedham, Mass., reported. 
 
 Dover Elementary School: Police swept the school after officials received a bomb threat, Dedham, Mass., reported. 
 
 Chace Street School (Somerset): The school received an automated bomb threat around 9:25 a.m., Dedham, Mass., reported. Students were evacuated. Around the same time schools in Barnstable, Wellfleet, Mashpee and Fall River received similar threats, which were all deemed unfounded. 
 
 Minnesota 
 
 Brooklyn Center Secondary School: The school was temporarily evacuated Monday after receiving a threatening phone call about 12:30 p.m., the Sun Post (Osseo, Minn.) Newspapers reported. Police searched the building and students returned. 
 
 Forest Lake Elementary School: The school was evacuated around 12:15 p.m. after a bomb threat was made by phone, The Minneapolis Star Tribune reported. Students were sent to Forest View Elementary School and were bused home from there. 
 
 Montana 
 
 North Middle School (Great Falls): The school was evacuated after receiving a bomb threat. Students were bused to an elementary school, where parents could pick them up. 
 
 New Hampshire 
 
 Berlin Middle School: Students were sent to Berlin High School for lunch after the school received a bomb threat around 10:40 a.m., the New Hampshire (Manchester, N.H.) Union Leader reported. 
 
 Fuller Elementary School (Keene): The school was evacuated after receiving a bomb threat Monday morning, The (Keene, N.H.) Sentinel reported. 
 
 Amherst Street Elementary School (Nashua): The school was evacuated after a bomb threat was called in, WMUR-TV, Manchester, N.H., reported. Students returned to class after police swept the school with a bomb sniffing dog and found nothing suspicious. 
 
 Portsmouth High School: The school was evacuated after it received a bomb threat, Seacoastonline.com reported. Police cleared the building and students were allowed back inside. No bomb was found. 
 
 New York 
 
 Sweet Home High School (Amherst): The school was put on lockdown after a threat was phoned into the school around 2:30 p.m. Police searched the school and lifted the lockdown at about 3:30 p.m. when nothing suspicious was found. 
 
 Oregon 
 
 Irvington School (Portland): The school was evacuated about noon after receiving a threatening call. The school was searched and nothing was found, The (Portland, Ore.) Oregonian reported. 
 
 Pennsylvania 
 
 ​Dallas School District: Bomb threats prompted the evacuation of Dallas Elementary School and Wycallis Elementary School on Monday, The (Wilkes-Barre, Pa.) Times Leader reported. The schools later dismissed students early. 
 
 Utah 
 
 Murray High School: Students were evacuated and sent home for the day after a bomb threat was called into the school around noon, KSTU-TV, Salt Lake City reported. 
 
 Vermont 
 
 Northeast Elementary School (Rutland): The school was evacuated after staff received a bomb threat Monday morning, WPTZ-TV/WNNE-TV, Plattsburgh, N.Y., reported. Students were taken to another school and parents were notified. 
 
 Washington 
 
 Long Beach Elementary: The school went into lockdown and called police after receiving a threatening call, the Ocean Beach School District said. The threat was deemed not credible. 
 
 Kessler Elementary (Longview): Parents were able to pick up their children at a church after 1:20 p.m., The (Longview, Wash.) Daily News reported. 
 
 York Elementary School (Vancouver): After the threat, students were taken to a back field area while the building was searched, The (Portland, Ore.) Oregonian reported. Students returned to class after the building was cleared. 
 
 Wisconsin 
 
 Janet Berry Elementary School (Appleton): The school received a short, anonymous, automated phone call at 11:47 a.m. indicating a bomb would go off in the building. Staff and students stayed outside as police searched the school. They were allowed to return at 1:40 p.m. 
 
 Oakwood Elementary School (Oshkosh): The school received a threatening phone call around 11:50 a.m. School officials immediately implemented a "soft lockdown" and began evacuating the school, sending staff and 473 students to the Oshkosh YMCA. Parents were asked to pick up their children at the YMCA. 
 
 Edison Middle School (Green Bay): The school was locked down for about an hour Monday afternoon after receiving a threatening automated call at 11:40 a.m. Green Bay police expect federal investigators to take over any additional investigation. 
 
 Wilson Junior High School (Manitowoc): Police searched the school after officials received an automated call around 11:40 a.m. Students were not evacuated, WLUK-TV, Green Bay, Wis., reported. 
 
 Northside Elementary School (Middleton): Students were evacuated and taken to a nearby church after the school received a called-in bomb threat around 11:45 a.m., WMTV-TV, Madison, Wis., reported. 
 
 Pleasant Prairie Elementary School: Students and staff were evacuated after an 11:30 a.m. bomb threat. They were taken to a middle school, where parents could pick them up, The Kenosha (Wis.) News reported. 
 
 Contributing: The (Fort Collins, Colo.) Coloradoan; The (Wilmington, Del.) News Journal; Indian River (Fla.) Press Journal; The (Stuart, Fla.) News; The Des Moines Register; Iowa City Press-Citizen; The (Salisbury, Md.) Daily Times; Great Falls (Mont.) Tribune; WGRZ-TV, Buffalo, N.Y.; The (Appleton, Wis.) Post-Crescent; The Kenosha (Wis.) News; The Oshkosh (Wis.) Northwestern; The Green Bay (Wis.) Press-Gazette. Follow Alison Dirr on Twitter: @AlisonDirr 
 
 Read or Share this story: http://usat.ly/1TzLwSX ||||| Thousands of students in several dozen schools across the United States and Great Britain were evacuated Monday after what appeared to be coordinated recorded threats of violence were called in, according to news reports and law enforcement officials who spoke to NBC News. 
 
 Police respond to a phoned-in threat Monday at Ben Franklin Elementary School in Rochester, Minnesota. KTTC-TV 
 
 None of the threats were known to have been found to be credible, and many schools resumed classes, but national testing across Britain for the General Certificate of Secondary Education, or GCSE, was severely disrupted, school officials and British media reported. 
 
 Local news reports said schools in at least 21 U.S. states also received phoned threats: Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Maryland, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming. As many as 10 schools received the threats in some states. 
 
 Law enforcement sources said the threats were being handled by local law enforcement, but the FBI told NBC News that it was aware of the threats, adding, "We remain in touch with our law enforcement partners to provide assistance if needed." 
 
 Authorities stressed that such threats are common during the school year — a similar wave of unfounded threats disrupted classes in New York, Los Angeles and other cities in December — but law enforcement sources told NBC News that the number of schools affected Monday appeared to be unusually high. 
 
 Related: Why Did LA See a Legit Bomb Threat Where NYC Saw a Hoax? 
 
 "I think it's sick," Tom Yates, whose daughter attends Storm Grove Middle School in Indian River County, Florida — one of the affected schools — told NBC station WPTV of West Palm Beach. 
 
 "Somebody that gets joy and pleasure out of seeing children scared and their parents scared for them — this world needs a lot of help," Yates said. 
 
 Rochester, Minnesota, police Capt. John Sherwin told NBC station KTTC that the call received Monday at Ben Franklin Elementary School in Rochester was similar to many others that were received across the country. 
 
 Many American schools said they recorded calls from an electronically disguised voice reporting a bomb, multiple police agencies told NBC News. Many said the calls came in around 2 to 2:30 p.m. ET. 
 
 Preliminary search of Liberty Point Elementary did not show anything unusual. 2nd search with dogs underway pic.twitter.com/C1gzVCvK0m — PuebloCounty Sheriff (@PuebloCountySO) May 23, 2016 
 
 In Britain, several schools received a 90-second recorded call from a voice with an American accent promising that "shrapnel" would "take children's the heads off," according to multiple news reports. Many of those schools reported that the calls also came in about the same time, in this case about 10 a.m. local time. ||||| PARKER, Colo. (CBS4)– Students at Cherokee Trail Elementary school in Parker were evacuated from the building on Monday afternoon. The school was one of several in Colorado and different states that received bomb threats. The automated phone calls are being investigated by the FBI. 
 
 Parker police said the evacuation was prompted by an anonymous threat to the school with an automated call about noon Monday. It was similar to threats made at at least six schools around the state. 
 
 Cherokee Trail Elem. under precautionary evacuation due to anonymous threats to schools around the state. — Parker Police Dept. (@ParkerPolice) May 23, 2016 
 
 The other schools that received threats are located in Lakewood, Pueblo West, Colorado Springs, Boulder and Fort Collins. The FBI said schools in at least eight other states received similar swatting calls all with the goal of triggering a large police response. 
 
 Students at Cherokee Trail were moved outside while Parker police officers and South Metro Fire Rescue crews searched the school. 
 
 “They were like, ‘We all need to go sit on the field’ so we were all just sitting there for two hours,” said student Marcus Morgan. 
 
 Parents and caregivers were urged to check in at the baseball stop in the northwest corner of the field before picking up their children. 
 
 Some streets surrounding the school were closed. 
 
 Copter4 flew over the school where students were gathered outside. 
 
 Clarke Farms closed between Lamar and Pierce Way. Parents park and walk to pick up area pic.twitter.com/JYS4192iBk — Parker Police Dept. (@ParkerPolice) May 23, 2016 
 
 Parents said the situation was frightening. 
 
 “It’s just scary to not know what’s going on. They don’t have any of their bags or their phones or anything and there’s no way of getting a hold of them,” said parent Eva Owen. 
 
 Cherokee Trail Elementary parents received this email about the incident: 
 
 Dear Cherokee Trail Parents, 
 
 An automated phone message received at our school today with an anonymous threat has prompted us to evacuate the building. We immediately reached out to Parker Police who are on scene and investigating. 
 
 
 
 We have learned that this threat was received at a number of other schools in the metro area and is not unique to Cherokee Trail. Out of an abundance of caution, students and staff will remain outside of the building until it is determined that we may go back inside. 
 
 Lakewood High School received a phoned-in threat that Jeffco Schools officials believe was automated. The school was not evacuated. Jeffco Schools told CBS4 that the district has received robo-type threats previously this year. 
 
 Denver Public Schools told CBS4 they were aware of computer-generated bomb threats that were made on Monday at other school districts along the Front Range. 
 
 “Every one of these may be swatting, all it takes is one of them to be real and then we have a tragedy here,” said DPS spokesman Will Jones. 
 
 Jones said he was impressed with how quickly information was shared between school districts, “They communicate and they share information and they are working with law enforcement to make sure that even though we know that swatting is going on we want to make sure the kids throughout Colorado are safe.” 
 
 Irish Elementary School in the Poudre Valley School District received a threat by phone at 11:30 a.m. Monday. Security officials said it was a recorded message. The school was voluntarily evacuated but the threat was determined not to be credible. Students were back in class within 30 minutes. 
 
 The Boulder Valley School District released this statement to families and staff at Nevin J. Platt Middle School in Boulder County: This message is to inform you that Platt Middle School, along with schools in other Colorado school districts, received a computer generated recorded threat that was determined by local law enforcement on site and BVSD Security to be a hoax. As a precaution, our building was thoroughly inspected by staff and security with nothing out of the ordinary being found. 
 
 The Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that a bomb threat was received at Liberty Point Elementary in Pueblo West just after 1 p.m. That school was evacuated as a precaution. 
 
 Nothing suspicious was found at any of the schools in Colorado that received the threats. 
 
 The Colorado Bureau of Investigation was monitoring Twitter accounts regarding the bomb threats. 
 
 The FBI told CBS4 the agency is monitoring the situation and is in touch with local law enforcement agencies. 
 
 One school in Colorado Springs received a bomb threat and CBS affiliate KKTV in Colorado Springs confirmed that other cities with bomb threats include Cheyenne, Wyo., Cedar Rapids, Iowa and Madison, Wis. ||||| Hoax calls to 9-1-1 are a serious crime and have potentially dangerous consequences. 
 
 “Swatting” is a prank designed to draw a law enforcement response to a hoax victim. 
 
 
 
 The Crime of ‘Swatting’ 
 
 Fake 9-1-1 Calls Have Real Consequences 
 
 09/03/13 
 
 The distraught-sounding man told the 9-1-1 operator he shot a family member and might kill others in the house. A SWAT team was urgently dispatched to the address corresponding to the caller’s phone number. But when the tactical team arrived, ready for a possible violent encounter, they found only a surprised family panicked by the officers at their door. 
 
 It’s called “swatting”—making a hoax call to 9-1-1 to draw a response from law enforcement, usually a SWAT team. The individuals who engage in this activity use technology to make it appear that the emergency call is coming from the victim’s phone. Sometimes swatting is done for revenge, sometimes as a prank. Either way, it is a serious crime, and one that has potentially dangerous consequences. 
 
 The Matthew Weigman Case 
 
 In 2009, Matthew Weigman, then 19 years old, was sentenced to more than 11 years in federal prison for a swatting conspiracy that had been going on for years. A prolific phone hacker, Weigman and nine co-conspirators used social engineering and other scams to obtain personal information, impersonate and harass telecommunications employees, and manipulate phone systems to carry out dozens of swatting incidents, along with other crimes. Several of his co-conspirators also received jail time. Weigman’s first swatting incident occurred in 2004 when he was 14 years old. When a girl he met through an online chat room refused to have phone sex with him, he retaliated by swatting the girl and her father, convincing a 9-1-1 operator he was holding the two at gunpoint in their Colorado home, which prompted a SWAT response. 
 
 
 
 Press releases: 
 
 - Matthew Weigman Pleads Guilty 
 
 - Last Defendant Sentenced in Case 
 
 Since we first warned about this phone hacking phenomenon in 2008, the FBI has arrested numerous individuals on federal charges stemming from swatting incidents, and some are currently in prison (see sidebar). Today, although most swatting cases are handled by local and state law enforcement agencies, the Bureau often provides resources and guidance in these investigations. 
 
 “The FBI looks at these crimes as a public safety issue,” said Kevin Kolbye, an assistant special agent in charge in our Dallas Division. “It’s only a matter of time before somebody gets seriously injured as a result of one of these incidents.” 
 
 There have already been close calls. A police officer was injured in a car accident during an emergency response that turned out to be a swatting incident, Kolbye said, and some unsuspecting victims—caught off guard when SWAT teams suddenly arrived on their doorstep—have suffered mild heart attacks. 
 
 “The victims are scared and taken by surprise,” he said. Law enforcement personnel, meanwhile, rush to the scene of a swatting incident on high alert. “They believe they have a violent subject to apprehend or an innocent victim to rescue,” Kolbye explained. “It’s a dangerous situation any way you look at it.” 
 
 It is also expensive. It can cost thousands of dollars every time a SWAT team is called out. And although there are no national statistics on how many swatting incidents occur annually, Kolbye guesses there are hundreds. A recent trend, he said, is so-called celebrity swatting, where the targeted victims are well-known actors and musicians. 
 
 “People who make these swatting calls are very credible,” he said. “They have no trouble convincing 9-1-1 operators they are telling the truth.” And thanks to “spoofing” technology—which enables callers to mask their own numbers while making the victims’ numbers appear—emergency operators are doubly tricked. 
 
 Most who engage in swatting are serial offenders also involved in other cyber crimes such as identity theft and credit card fraud, Kolbye said. They either want to brag about their swatting exploits or exact revenge on someone who angered them online. 
 
 Kolbye suggests making a police report about any swatting threats you receive online. Such threats typically come from the online gaming community, where competitors can play and interact anonymously. With a report on file, if a 9-1-1 incident does occur at your home, the police will be aware that it could be a hoax. 
 
 “The FBI takes swatting very seriously,” Kolbye said. “Working closely with industry and law enforcement partners, we continue to refine our technological capabilities and our investigative techniques to stop the thoughtless individuals who commit these crimes. The bottom line,” he added, “is that swatting puts innocent people at risk.” 
 
 Resources: 
 
 - More about swatting 
 
 ||||| CLOSE Schools across different 4 different time zones received "swatting" calls. The threats drew massive police response and forced authorities to evacuate students and lock down buildings. USA TODAY 
 
 Parents line up to reunite with their children at Sacajawea Elementary School. The entire student body of North Middle School, numbering 711 students, was evacuated to Sacajawea following a bomb threat Monday. (Photo: Tribune photo/David Murray) 
 
 A wave of threats directed at schools across the nation on Monday forced authorities to lock down buildings or evacuate students. 
 
 The threats, which appear to be driven by automated calls, were directed at elementary, middle and high schools in at least 18 states across four time zones. 
 
 Some districts reported that the calls included a bomb threat while others just described the calls as "threatening." 
 
 The calls were reported in California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Utah, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin. 
 
 Ken Trump, a national school security expert and president of a school security consulting firm, said Monday’s nationwide bomb hoaxes have the hallmarks of swatting. 
 
 Swatting, according to Trump, are “highly disruptive” hoax threats that are intended to trigger massive police response. Trump said they are often described as robotic, computer-generated voices that call in threats to schools or police departments. 
 
 A single swatting case can impact multiple states, jurisdictions and even travel across international borders, Trump said. 
 
 Per PSLPD-- Treasure Coast HS cleared, students being sent back to class. @WPTVpic.twitter.com/iVum7bGQMG — Katie Johnson (@Katie_Johnson_) May 23, 2016 
 
 “They tend to come in waves,” he said. “We’ve seen them cross six states in an afternoon.” 
 
 Trump said swatting incidents have “skyrocketed” nationwide in the past two years. 
 
 “(Swatting) suspects are often more sophisticated,” he said. “They can use Voice Over IP (Internet Protocol) systems or other technologies that can be virtually impossible to track down.” 
 
 The Federal Bureau of Investigation responded to a request for comment, writing, "We are aware of recent bomb threats at various schools in different states, and we remain in touch with our law enforcement partners to provide assistance if needed. As always, we encourage the public to remain vigilant and to promptly report suspicious activities which could represent a threat to public safety." 
 
 Lee Allinger, superintendent of schools in Appleton, Wis., said he can't remember a string of threats like this that seem to be connected. Janet Berry Elementary School in Appleton received an automated threat at about 11:45 a.m. 
 
 A K-9 unit from Malmstrom Air Force Base searches for evidence of explosives following a bomb threat at North Middle School on Monday (Photo: Tribune photo/David Murray) 
 
 "It's the first one that I can recall that's been of this nature, where it's been an automated call or a robo kind of call and that it's been widespread — not just next door to us but across the state and the country," he said. 
 
 Tom McCarthy, a Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction spokesperson, said the department did not know how many schools statewide had received threats. He did not comment on the string of bomb hoaxes. 
 
 In the United Kingdom, at least 21 schools received bomb threats as well, according to The Independent. The Daily Mail reported 26 schools were closed. 
 
 The USA TODAY NETWORK has not confirmed that any of the threats are connected. 
 
 Bomb Threat Calls Target Schools In Colorado, Midwest https://t.co/M3UFLpwHTFpic.twitter.com/q8sb6YYwm1 — Karen Morfitt (@KarenMorfitt) May 24, 2016 
 
 California 
 
 Clairemont and Lincoln high schools (San Diego): The schools were placed on lockdown after officials received threats. Police swept the schools and lifted the lockdown after nothing suspicious was found, BNO News B.V., The Netherlands, reported. 
 
 Washington Middle School (Bakersfield): The school went into a lockdown Monday morning after receiving an anonymous bomb threat, KGET-TV, Bakersfield, Calif., reported. Police officers and a police dog searched the school and surrounding area. School resumed after the area was determined to be safe. The call sounded like it was automated. 
 
 An unspecified threat prompted authorities to evacuate Cherokee Trail Elementary School in Parker, Colo. (Photo: KUSA-TV, Denver) 
 
 Colorado 
 
 Cherokee Trail Elementary (Parker): Students were evacuated Monday afternoon after “anonymous threats to schools around the state,” the Parker Police Department said in a tweet. Parents and caregivers were able to pick up their children, and some streets around the school were closed off. 
 
 Irish Elementary School (Fort Collins): Students were evacuated after a recorded phone call came in at 11:30 a.m. No credible threat was found. Students returned to class half an hour after they were evacuated. 
 
 Lakewood High School: The school received a threat by phone that officials believe was automated, KCNC-TV, Denver, reported. Officials did not evacuate the school because the school district has received automated threats previously this school year. 
 
 Liberty Point Elementary School (Pueblo West): Officials evacuated the school shortly after 1 p.m. after a bomb threat was received, KCNC-TV reported. 
 
 Nevin J. Platt Middle School (Boulder): The middle school was swept by local law enforcement after someone left an automated threat, KCNC-TV reported. 
 
 The Colorado Springs School: The school was evacuated and students were sent to Broadmoor Elementary School after the school received a bomb threat, KKTV-TV, Colorado Springs, Colo., reported. 
 
 Delaware 
 
 Bomb threats were reported at six Delaware schools. 
 
 East Millsboro Elementary School: Police learned at 11:09 a.m. that a man had called the school and said there was a bomb inside. Beacon Middle School in Lewes, Polytech High School in Woodside and Stanton Middle School in Wilmington received similar calls within the next half hour. 
 
 Automated bomb threats were also reported at Mispillion Elementary School in Milford and Sunnyside Elementary School in Smyrna earlier in the morning. 
 
 Florida 
 
 Storm Grove Middle School (Vero Beach): Students were sent to Sebastian River High School after an automated bomb threat was called in to the middle school. Parents picked up their children from there. 
 
 Treasure Coast High School (Port St. Lucie): The school was evacuated after receiving a bomb threat shortly after 11 a.m. The school was searched, no explosives were found and students were allowed to return to class. 
 
 Iowa 
 
 Altoona: The school received a bomb threat at 11:54 a.m. saying bombs were inside the school. Students were relocated to a local church, where parents were able to pick them up. Buses will run Monday for parents who cannot pick up their children. 
 
 Valley High School (West Des Moines): The school received a bomb threat Monday afternoon. Students who could drive were allowed to go home while students who take the school bus were taken to a safe location until buses could take them home. 
 
 Tate High School (Iowa City): The school received an automated bomb threat. Students were sent home so police could assess the threat. 
 
 Excelsior Middle School (Marion): The school was immediately evacuated after receiving a bomb threat about 12:30 p.m. The school dismissed students to parents and guardians. 
 
 Maine 
 
 Hall-Dale Middle School & High School (Farmingdale): Students were evacuated for about three hours after the school received a bomb threat Monday morning, MaineToday Media reported. 
 
 Showell Elementary is one of the four Blue Ribbon schools in Worcester County. (Photo: file photo) 
 
 Maryland 
 
 Showell Elementary School (Berlin): The school was evacuated at about 11:25 a.m. because of an automated bomb threat. 
 
 Massachusetts 
 
 Willett Elementary School (Attleboro): The school was evacuated as a precaution after a bomb threat was called into the school. Students and staff returned to the building after police swept the school and deemed it safe, the school reported. 
 
 Charlton Middle School: Students were evacuated just after 10 a.m. Monday and sent to Heritage School after the school received a bomb threat, WFXT-TV, Dedham, Mass., reported. 
 
 Dover Elementary School: Police swept the school after officials received a bomb threat, Dedham, Mass., reported. 
 
 Chace Street School (Somerset): The school received an automated bomb threat around 9:25 a.m., Dedham, Mass., reported. Students were evacuated. Around the same time schools in Barnstable, Wellfleet, Mashpee and Fall River received similar threats, which were all deemed unfounded. 
 
 Minnesota 
 
 Brooklyn Center Secondary School: The school was temporarily evacuated Monday after receiving a threatening phone call about 12:30 p.m., the Sun Post (Osseo, Minn.) Newspapers reported. Police searched the building and students returned. 
 
 Forest Lake Elementary School: The school was evacuated around 12:15 p.m. after a bomb threat was made by phone, The Minneapolis Star Tribune reported. Students were sent to Forest View Elementary School and were bused home from there. 
 
 Montana 
 
 North Middle School (Great Falls): The school was evacuated after receiving a bomb threat. Students were bused to an elementary school, where parents could pick them up. 
 
 New Hampshire 
 
 Berlin Middle School: Students were sent to Berlin High School for lunch after the school received a bomb threat around 10:40 a.m., the New Hampshire (Manchester, N.H.) Union Leader reported. 
 
 Fuller Elementary School (Keene): The school was evacuated after receiving a bomb threat Monday morning, The (Keene, N.H.) Sentinel reported. 
 
 Amherst Street Elementary School (Nashua): The school was evacuated after a bomb threat was called in, WMUR-TV, Manchester, N.H., reported. Students returned to class after police swept the school with a bomb sniffing dog and found nothing suspicious. 
 
 Portsmouth High School: The school was evacuated after it received a bomb threat, Seacoastonline.com reported. Police cleared the building and students were allowed back inside. No bomb was found. 
 
 New York 
 
 Sweet Home High School (Amherst): The school was put on lockdown after a threat was phoned into the school around 2:30 p.m. Police searched the school and lifted the lockdown at about 3:30 p.m. when nothing suspicious was found. 
 
 Oregon 
 
 Irvington School (Portland): The school was evacuated about noon after receiving a threatening call. The school was searched and nothing was found, The (Portland, Ore.) Oregonian reported. 
 
 Pennsylvania 
 
 ​Dallas School District: Bomb threats prompted the evacuation of Dallas Elementary School and Wycallis Elementary School on Monday, The (Wilkes-Barre, Pa.) Times Leader reported. The schools later dismissed students early. 
 
 Utah 
 
 Murray High School: Students were evacuated and sent home for the day after a bomb threat was called into the school around noon, KSTU-TV, Salt Lake City reported. 
 
 Vermont 
 
 Northeast Elementary School (Rutland): The school was evacuated after staff received a bomb threat Monday morning, WPTZ-TV/WNNE-TV, Plattsburgh, N.Y., reported. Students were taken to another school and parents were notified. 
 
 Washington 
 
 Long Beach Elementary: The school went into lockdown and called police after receiving a threatening call, the Ocean Beach School District said. The threat was deemed not credible. 
 
 Kessler Elementary (Longview): Parents were able to pick up their children at a church after 1:20 p.m., The (Longview, Wash.) Daily News reported. 
 
 York Elementary School (Vancouver): After the threat, students were taken to a back field area while the building was searched, The (Portland, Ore.) Oregonian reported. Students returned to class after the building was cleared. 
 
 Wisconsin 
 
 Janet Berry Elementary School (Appleton): The school received a short, anonymous, automated phone call at 11:47 a.m. indicating a bomb would go off in the building. Staff and students stayed outside as police searched the school. They were allowed to return at 1:40 p.m. 
 
 Oakwood Elementary School (Oshkosh): The school received a threatening phone call around 11:50 a.m. School officials immediately implemented a "soft lockdown" and began evacuating the school, sending staff and 473 students to the Oshkosh YMCA. Parents were asked to pick up their children at the YMCA. 
 
 Edison Middle School (Green Bay): The school was locked down for about an hour Monday afternoon after receiving a threatening automated call at 11:40 a.m. Green Bay police expect federal investigators to take over any additional investigation. 
 
 Wilson Junior High School (Manitowoc): Police searched the school after officials received an automated call around 11:40 a.m. Students were not evacuated, WLUK-TV, Green Bay, Wis., reported. 
 
 Northside Elementary School (Middleton): Students were evacuated and taken to a nearby church after the school received a called-in bomb threat around 11:45 a.m., WMTV-TV, Madison, Wis., reported. 
 
 Pleasant Prairie Elementary School: Students and staff were evacuated after an 11:30 a.m. bomb threat. They were taken to a middle school, where parents could pick them up, The Kenosha (Wis.) News reported. 
 
 Contributing: The (Fort Collins, Colo.) Coloradoan; The (Wilmington, Del.) News Journal; Indian River (Fla.) Press Journal; The (Stuart, Fla.) News; The Des Moines Register; Iowa City Press-Citizen; The (Salisbury, Md.) Daily Times; Great Falls (Mont.) Tribune; WGRZ-TV, Buffalo, N.Y.; The (Appleton, Wis.) Post-Crescent; The Kenosha (Wis.) News; The Oshkosh (Wis.) Northwestern; The Green Bay (Wis.) Press-Gazette. Follow Alison Dirr on Twitter: @AlisonDirr 
 
 Read or Share this story: http://usat.ly/1TzLwSX ||||| Thousands of pupils across the UK have been forced to evacuate their schools amid a series of bomb scares from callers threatening to “take children’s head off”. 
 
 At least 21 schools have now admitted to receiving "panic inducing" warnings from an anonymous caller warning of a bomb on site – leaving teachers no choice but to pull students out of classrooms during GCSE examinations. 
 
 Canterbury Academy in Kent said it received a message saying that “the shrapnel will take children’s heads off”. Police were called to the site but were unable to find anything suspicious, causing many to believe the calls were a hoax. 
 
 According to Kent Police, Barming Primary school in Maidstone was also closed this morning after an “anonymous phone call”. 
 
 Two schools in Peterborough were also evacuated and a road was closed following a bomb threat. 
 
 Voyager Academy and Discovery Primary School were cordoned off by police. 
 
 One student said: Why put a bomb in discovery with children like it makes no sense. 
 
 “That really scared me I literally thought a bomb was going to blow up in front of us.” 
 
 Canterbury Academy head teacher Phil Karnavas said: “It's almost certainly a hoax but with what's happening across Europe I'm not prepared to take that gamble.” 
 
 He added that secretarial staff received “repeated” calls from an adult male claiming an explosive device was hidden in the school. 
 
 Police confirmed that an anonymous call was made at 10.13am and that the school was evacuated as a precaution. 
 
 The Cambridge News website reported a suspected hoax bomb threat at Mayfield Primary school, and Emsworth Primary School in Surrey has been evacuated with staff and children moved to a neighbouring school as police probe a bomb threat. 
 
 Emsworth headteacher Kate Fripp told local news website UKNIP: “There has been a security incident at Emsworth Primary School today. 
 
 “All children are safe and are at Glenwood School receiving refreshments. 
 
 “The police are on the school site and we expect to be allowed back in within the hour.” 
 
 Whiteley Primary and Kingsham Primary schools, also in Peterborough ,have issued security alerts, according to the website. 
 
 Children were sent home from Wootton Upper School in Bedfordshire, police said. 
 
 Meanwhile Oulder Hill School and Redwood School in Rochdale were evacuated after calls warning of a “suspicious package“. 
 
 Greater Manchester Police say they were called this morning and are still on the scene. 
 
 The following schools have evacuated pupils as a result of bomb alerts 
 
 • Canterbury Academy, Kent 
 
 • Barming Primary School, Maidstone 
 
 • Voyager Academy, Peterborough 
 
 • Discover Primary School, Peterborough 
 
 • Wootton Upper School, Bedfordshire 
 
 • Redwood School, Rochdale 
 
 • Oulder Hill School, Rochdale 
 
 • Emsworth Primary School, Hampshire 
 
 • Kingsham Primary School, Chichester 
 
 • Whiteley Primary School, Fareham 
 
 • Rosebrook Primary School, Stockton 
 
 • Cranmere Primary School, Surrey 
 
 • Mayfield Primary School, Cambridge 
 
 • Blacon High School, Cheshire 
 
 • Crabtree Farm Primary School, Nottingham 
 
 • Lindisfarne Middle School, Northumberland 
 
 • Charville Primary School, Middlesex 
 
 • Dafen Community Primary School, Llanelli 
 
 • Pinhoe Primary School, Essex 
 
 • Middleton Primary School, Leeds 
 
 • Lindisfarne Middle School, Northumberland
– Schools across the nation were hit by a wave of robocall bomb threats Monday, closing buildings and forcing the evacuation of thousands of students, USA Today reports. Elementary, middle, and high schools in at least 18 states were targeted, and security expert Ken Trump says the automated calls seem to have all the signs of "swatting," hoax calls (often computer generated) meant to elicit a big response from law enforcement. Even schools in the UK were affected, with at least one receiving a warning that shrapnel from explosives would "take children's heads off," per the Independent. None of the threats were deemed credible, per NBC News. Swatters likely aren't kids partaking in a simple, spur-of-the-moment prank. "Suspects are often more sophisticated," Trump says, adding that incidents like these have "skyrocketed" over the last few years. "They can use Voice over IP (VoIP) systems or other technologies that can be virtually impossible to track down." The AP notes that schools nationwide responded in various ways to the calls, with some shutting down completely and others reopening once authorities gave the all clear. "Every one of these may be swatting, [but] all it takes is one of them to be real and then we have a tragedy here," a Denver Public Schools spokesman tells CBS Denver. The FBI issued a statement noting the agency is "aware" of the threats and communicating with law enforcement, and that the public should "remain vigilant" and report anything that seems suspicious. (USA Today has a list of schools affected in each state.)