Marco Island police clear homes after hoax bomb threat targets nonexistent address

A bomb threat on Marco Island was determined to be a swatting incident on Thursday afternoon.

According to the Marco Island Police Department, they received an anonymous call just after 3 p.m. from someone who claimed they had a pipe bomb strapped to their chest that would detonate within 10 minutes. The caller also said they were on Marco Island.

The police said that officers worked to get as much information from the caller as possible. Additionally, officers responded to the area given by the caller and began clearing nearby residences out of caution. During the investigation, officers said they determined that the address provided does not exist on the island.

After an investigation and the clearing of nearby homes, the incident was determined to be a swatting incident, according to the police.

The Collier County Sheriff's Office Bomb Squad, Collier County Sheriff's Office SWAT Team, Collier County EMS, and Marco Island Fire-Rescue Department were prepared to respond.

Although the incident was determined to be a hoax, the Marco Island Police Department said they treat all threats as credible until proven otherwise.

The scene has been cleared and investigators said they are working to identify the person who made the call.