A man reportedly phoned the wrong police department Sunday, demanded a lump sum of money and threatened to blow up the Hollywood sign unless he received it.
Law enforcement sources revealed the caller mistakenly contacted the Hollywood, Florida, police department, demanding a $10,000 payout, and threatening to blow up the Hollywood sign with pipe bombs if the police failed to deliver the money. The Hollywood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California — where the famous sign is located — is overseen by the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) and does not have its own police force.
A man threatening to blow up the iconic Hollywood Sign with pipe bombs unless authorities handed over $10,000 in cash called the wrong Hollywood Police Department, according to TMZ. https://t.co/70Kig0cs6n
— The Daily Beast (@thedailybeast) February 21, 2023
It’s not yet known whether the caller had any idea he had called the wrong police department. Florida’s Hollywood Police Department contacted the LAPD and put them on notice about the call. LAPD officers then responded to the vicinity of the famous landmark and investigated the matter, according to TMZ.
Officials reportedly determined there was no credible threat, and no further action was taken. The case remain under investigation at this time, according to TMZ. (RELATED: ‘HOLLYBOOB’: Six Reportedly Arrested For Changing Hollywood Sign To Support Breast Cancer Awareness)
Someone allegedly tried to pull a Doctor Evil, of sorts, over the iconic Hollywood sign — both in terms of his ridiculously wacky demands … as well as his overall smarts. https://t.co/uRyMYY0OtB
— TMZ (@TMZ) February 21, 2023
The tourist attraction is under round-the-clock video surveillance and protected by series of safety measures, making it a challenging spot for any would-be criminal to target, according to TMZ.
There is currently no information available that would identify the mysterious caller, and the attempt to obtain a payout proved to be an unsuccessful one.