(photo supplied by Ontario Provincial Police)(photo supplied by Ontario Provincial Police)
Midwestern

OPP investigate multiple threat incidents across Ontario

Members of the OPP Criminal Investigation Branch continue an investigation into multiple bomb threats across the province Thursday.

The threats were sent via email, targeting businesses and institutions, demanding a payment in bitcoins.

The Perth East Recreational Complex in Milverton was put into lockdown after a bomb threat was received via email. There was another threat near Vanastra that Huron County OPP responded to and later declared "all clear".

Threats were reported in Toronto, Montreal, Calgary, Edmonton, Ottawa and Winnipeg, as well as Mountie detachments in Manitoba and BC. Authorities say each threat was taken seriously, but no explosives were found.

Police say the emails in the Canadian cases were the same as those received in several U.S. cities.

They warned that a bomb would go off unless $20,000 in Bitcoin was paid. Police say they all appear to be a crude, multi-pronged extortion attempt.

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