Police operations at two City hotels

ACT Policing is responding to two reports of unsubstantiated ransom requests directed to the Novotel and Pavilion hotels today (Wednesday 30 September).

About 12.50pm, police received a report from Novotel management that they had received a suspicious phone call demanding a sum of cash and making threats.

About 1.15pm, police received a similar report from the Pavilion hotel management.

Police attended both hotels and advised hotel management to operate as per their emergency procedures, as a standard safety precaution.

The AFP Canine Team is currently searching both hotels as part of the ongoing operation.

The investigation is ongoing and ACT Policing is working to determine the veracity of the threats.

Under ACT and Commonwealth legislation it is an offence to make a false report to police and/or emergency services, to cause police and/or emergency services resources to be wasted, or to use a telephone service to harass a person. This offence carries heavy penalties.

Police are urging anyone who could assist police to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000, or via act.crimestoppers.com.au. Information can be provided anonymously. We remind people they should not report crime information via our Facebook and Twitter pages.