WILTSHIRE Fire and Rescue Service is warning hoax callers who made prank calls over the weekend they could expect a follow-up call from police.

A spokesman from Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue fire control in Potterne revealed there had been “quite a few” hoax calls across both Dorset and Wiltshire over the weekend.

In a tweet on Sunday afternoon they said: “All calls are recorded and details passed to the police.”

Making hoax and malicious calls is a criminal offence.

A spokesman for Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service said: “Such calls tie up emergency crews so they are not available for real, potentially life-threatening incidents.

"Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service receives dozens of such calls every year, made from payphones, mobile phones and landlines. We also have issues with people deliberately smashing break-glass alarm points.

“Malicious callers are not only an enormous drain on resources.Their thoughtless behaviour endangers the lives and safety of the public.”

All calls to the fire service’s control room are recorded and can be instantly traced back to the caller. This doesn’t just apply to landlines as even calls from payphones and mobiles are taped and can be traced.

 


The 141 function or equivalent does not block the number when you call 999.

Anyone who has information about someone making hoax calls to the emergency services should contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

  • Firefighters in Swindon and Stratton had a busy morning on Saturday, being called to attend three shouts within the first 90 minutes of the shift.

Their first emergency call came in at 12.15am with reports of a car on fire in Stratton, but on arrival at the scene they found the fire to be out.

At 12.42am another call came into Swindon Fire Station with reports of alarms sounding at a local school. On arrival they found the shout to be a false alarm, with the alarms sounding due to a system fault.

Both crews were then called out to attend an incident at a residential property in Liden Drive, but on arrival found the glass had been broken deliberately.