Charges are pending against a man and teen from South Africa after a phony phone call about a man with a gun flooded a Byron neighbourhood with police.
London police say they got the call about a man with a rifle outside a Byron home around 5:45pm Wednesday. The person on the phone indicated to officers the suspect was standing at their door with the weapon.
Police swooped in on the area, set up a perimeter, and closed streets surrounding the home. But after an hour of searching officers came up empty handed. No one in the neighbourhood knew anything about the call to police and none had seen a man with a gun.
Several more calls from the same phone number were made to police following the initial incident. An investigation found the calls were being made by two people in South Africa, who are said to be known to the homeowner in Byron.
A charge of public mischief is pending against a 53-year-old man and a 16-year-old boy.
Police say the false report created an unnecessary risk to public safety.