Police departments don’t always release the phone numbers used in swatting incidents, but McCabe wanted to inform other law enforcement officials of this scheme.

It cost taxpayers $3,900, the expenditure for overtime for the five detectives and eight Special Response Team members, to respond to the Rita May Way hoax, McCabe said. McCabe said these prank calls are expensive and could be potentially dangerous when officers are rushing to an alleged crime scene. Homeowner Linda Ann Matthews said on Friday, “We were glad they were protecting us,” though she and her family knew the prank had nothing to do with them and appeared to be a random event.Īn Internet search under “news” for the term “swatting” reveals that these hoaxes are happening on a regular basis throughout the country causing panic to many residents and chaos for police departments. Officers arrived at the Rita May Way address a few minutes later to find everybody “alive and well.” Thursday night reporting that “his brother just shot his mother with a gun,” according to police records. Someone phoned the Westfield police emergency line from (661) 748-0240 shortly before 10 p.m. This particular phone number has been associated with swatting in the scam world, according to McCabe. Michael McCabe said the phone number used in this “swatting” incident is (661)748-0240.Īccording to the FBI website, “swatting” is making a hoax call to 911 to draw a response from law enforcement, usually a SWAT team.

WESTFIELD – Westfield Police released the phone number that was used last week in a prank that caused a dozen officers to rush to a home on Rita May Way after dispatch received a call from someone claiming a shooting had taken place at that address.

Skype number to prank call