Suspicious Package, Bomb Threat, and Threats of Violence

Suspicious Package

A suspicious package may contain dangerous items or substances. Some typical characteristics that should trigger suspicion include:

• Protruding wires or aluminum foil, strange odors, or stains
• Unusual weight proportional to size
• Lopsided or oddly shaped
• Marked with threatening language
• Have excess postage or packing material, like tape or string
• Unattended bag or package:
  • An unattended bag or package is not necessarily suspicious 
  • If you witness a person deliberately place a bag somewhere and leave the area, this may be cause for concern

If you encounter a package or container that is suspicious:

• Do not go near, touch, or disturb the package:
  • If you are holding the package, put it down gently on a solid surface or on the floor
  • If there is powder or liquid coming from the package, try to set it down in a container like a trash can or bucket
• Do not activate the fire alarm system and do not use a cell phone near the package

Avoid the immediate area where the package is located and alert others to avoid the area:

• Contact MIT Police at 617-253-1212 (x100 from a campus phone) immediately and provide as much information as possible about the object and location
• Notify your supervisor and/or staff
• Prepare to evacuate the building. Evacuate only if told by responders to do so
• As you evacuate, be alert for anything that appears suspicious. Report anything suspicious to the authorities. Prepare to meet responding police officers and provide as much information as possible

BOMB THREAT

If received by handwritten note:

• Call MIT Police at 617-253-1212 (x100 from a campus phone)
• Handle note as minimally as possible

If received by e-mail:

• Call MIT Police at 617-253-1212 (x100 from a campus phone)
• Do not delete the message

If received by phone:

• Keep the caller on the phone, and ask the questions below
• After call is over, call MIT Police at 617-253-1212 (x100 from a campus phone) to report the incident

Ask Caller:

• Where is the bomb located? (Building, floor, room, etc.)
• When will it go off?
• What does it look like?
• What kind of bomb is it?
• What will make it explode?
• Did you place the bomb? Yes/No
• If yes, why?
• What is your name?

Document:

• Responses to above questions
• Exact words of threat
• Where the caller is located
• Is the voice familiar?

Caller’s Voice:

Background Sounds:

Threat Language:

Threats of Violence

If you receive a threat of any kind:

• Record the time that the threat was received
• Try to record the threat exactly as it was said or written. Be clear about the type of threat being made.
• If you receive a threatening email, letter, phone call, or any other kind of threat, report it immediately to MIT Police at 617-253-1212 (x100 from a campus phone)

If you receive a threat via phone call:

• If your phone has Caller ID, record the number that is displayed
• Try to record the threat exactly as it is said. Try to keep the caller on the phone long enough to ask questions and record details about the following:
  • What will happen?
  • Where will it happen?
  • When will it happen?
  • How can it be prevented?
• Report all threats immediately to MIT Police at 617-253-1212 (x100 from a campus phone)
• Do not activate the fire alarm system. Evacuate the area only if told by responders to do so