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Bomb threats reported at Shaw’s grocery stores in Massachusetts and New Hampshire on Wednesday are under investigation, authorities said.
Canton police responded to the Shaw’s in Cobb Corner at 95 Washington St. after a reported bomb threat Wednesday, the department wrote in a Facebook post. The department stated that other Shaw’s locations had received threats and asked the public to avoid the area as officers investigated.
By 1:50 p.m., the scene was clear, according to the post.
Threats were also reported at three New Hampshire locations, including in Hooksett, North Hampton, and Gilford.
Hooksett police responded to a similar bomb threat just after noon Wednesday at a Shaw’s in the Hooksett Village Shops, according to a Facebook post. The Hooksett Fire Department and the New Hampshire State Police bomb squad were also on the scene.
After a sweep of the area, the threat was determined to not be credible, and the store was reopened to the public by 1 p.m., Hooksett police said.
North Hampton police investigated another bomb threat at a Shaw’s on Lafayette Road, and the store was similarly evacuated, WMUR reported. Police told WMUR they didn’t think the threat was credible, but they are still investigating.
A bomb threat was also called into a Shaw’s in Gilford, according to WMUR. That threat is also believed to be a hoax.
The reported bomb threats all remain under investigation.
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CONCORD, N.H. — Those who attend crowded outdoor events in New Hampshire may soon notice troopers deploying a new tool to identify potential threats from above.
New Hampshire State Police secured permission on Wednesday to buy a mobile trailer equipped with a drone detection system that uses cameras, radar, and artificial intelligence to monitor the skies for small unmanned aircraft systems that might pose a threat to public safety.
Robert L. Quinn, commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Safety, said the system will be useful at a variety of public gatherings, including festivals, sporting events, and protests. His written explanation for the purchase mentioned several events known to draw crowds in the state, including seafood festivals, Independence Day fireworks, and Laconia Motorcycle Week.
“This system will address emerging security threats, protect critical infrastructure, safeguard public events, and enhance emergency response capabilities,” he wrote.
This technology will be new to the New Hampshire State Police, but it comes from a company that has been providing similar services to other states. Dedrone Holdings Inc. — which was acquired last fall by Axon, a major manufacturer of body-worn cameras for police — offers instant access to drone detection data in more than 50 metro areas, including Greater Boston, through an app.
The “Dedrone Rapid Response” mobile unit that New Hampshire is buying is a physical piece of equipment with a self-contained generator and a tower that extends more than 44 feet into the air, enabling radio frequency detection within a 5-mile radius, according to the company.
New Hampshire’s five-member Executive Council approved the $275,000 purchase on Wednesday, without discussion.
Quinn referred follow-up questions to a department spokesperson, Tyler P. Dumont, who said the money is coming from federal Homeland Security grant funds.
While the use of surveillance and emerging technologies by law enforcement always leads to questions about the protection of civil liberties, Dumont said state personnel will aim to use the Dedrone tool in a way that enhances public safety without infringing on the privacy or legal rights of individuals and drone operators.
“We will implement safeguards to ensure that any usage of AI is supplemented by human review and verification, and in compliance with applicable laws and regulations,” he said.
What’s more, the drone detection system is a monitoring tool that won’t be used to disable any aircraft deemed a potential threat, he added.
Steven Porter can be reached at steven.porter@globe.com. Follow him @reporterporter.
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