‘Axe man’ claims at Thame school a hoax say police

FOLLOWING comments on social media about the presence of a man wearing a mask and carrying an axe in the vicinity of a Thame school, local community police officers have checked out the reports and concluded that the claims were a hoax. Today they wrote to Lord Williams’s School in Thame, with the following statement:

“THAMES Valley Police has received a considerable number of calls from concerned parents in the Thame area regarding reports of a male wearing a mask and carrying an axe outside various Thame schools; Lord Williams School in particular.

We’d like to take this opportunity to reassure parents and students that these reports are completely false. It appears to have been a story being told around the school by the students which has been exaggerated every time it has been passed on and then amplified over social media.

Several children have admitted to making up or spreading the rumours, and the Force has spent considerable time speaking with the students involved and reassuring parents that the whole story is in fact a hoax.

Despite there being absolutely no cause for alarm, we will continue our reassurance patrols in the Thame area. Officers have also attended the schools to speak with students and teachers on how to report concerns to the police. Any suspicious activity or community concerns can always be reported to Thames Valley Police on 101 where they will be taken seriously, and in an emergency situation please call 999.

Finally, please can I take this opportunity to ask that you have a conversation with your child/children to remind them of the seriousness of wasting police time. Time spent investigating false reports is valuable time lost in dealing with real crime.”

Kind Regards
Lucie ROBERTS | Constable 7289 | Neighbourhood Policing Team