Crime & Safety

Bomb Threat Suspect Arrested In San Jose

Detectives allege the man made several bomb threats and hoax calls targeting victims in San Jose, Redwood City and Kansas City.

Police served a search warrant at the suspect's address on Sept. 11, where they found electronic evidence.
Police served a search warrant at the suspect's address on Sept. 11, where they found electronic evidence. (Renee Schiavone/Patch)

SAN JOSE, CA — San Jose police last week arrested a man on suspicion of making at least a half dozen bomb threats in recent weeks.

Police said Sunday from Sept. 1 to Sept. 10, their department responded to multiple calls for suspicious circumstances at various locations throughout the city involving bomb threats and swatting calls.

"Swatting" is when a hoax call is made regarding a serious crime to draw a large response from law enforcement.

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On Sept. 11, police responded to a San Jose residence to do a welfare check. An out-of-state police department reported they received an online message that the resident was going to kill his family.

Responding officers found all the occupants alive and well and determined there was no threat
Police identified the suspect as 49-year-old Efren Loredo of San Jose, the ex-boyfriend of an adult female living at the address. The suspect has a history of threatening the female and her current husband, and had an active felony warrant for his arrest.

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There was also a prior swatting call involving the same address Sept. 4., when officers responded to a call from someone claiming he was going to shoot himself.

During the same period, police also responded to bomb threats at Yerba Buena High School and the San Jose Unified School District. The suspect claimed he was the resident of that same residential address and planned to blow up the campuses.

Police said the man then continued to make threats and swatting calls in Redwood City, California and Kansas City, MO.

Police served a search warrant at Loredo's address Sept. 11, where they found electronic evidence. Loredo was booked into Santa Clara County Main Jail for his warrant and other charges, police said.

Anyone with any information regarding this investigation can contact Detective Martinez at 4533@sanjoseca.gov or (408) 277-4161.

Crime tips can be submitted anonymously using the P3TIPS mobile app, calling the tip line at (408) 947-STOP, or at www.svcrimestoppers.org. If the information leads to an arrest, you are eligible for a cash reward from the Silicon Valley Crime Stoppers Program.

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