18 May 2022

Rimutaka Prison lockdown lifted after bomb threat

4:36 pm on 18 May 2022

Rimutaka Prison near Upper Hutt has lifted a lockdown it entered this morning after two phone threats saying a bomb was placed at the site.

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Photo: RNZ

A Corrections spokesperson said the threats were received earlier today, and the lockdown was lifted at 3.30pm.

The prison was "now operating normally."

"Police attended the site with specialist search dogs and conducted an extensive search of the site but no suspicious items were found," the spokesperson said in a statement.

Police say they received a call about the threats at 9.20am.