Court bomb threat was hoax, police say

The court buildings in Hamilton have reopened after a bomb threat this morning turned out to be a hoax.

Scores of police and fire staff were at the scene following the threat, which was made by phone.

About 20 officers dressed in protective clothing spent two hours searching for explosive devices in the District Court and High Court buildings.

There was traffic chaos in Hamilton's central business district after police evacuated the buildings and cordonned off Knox Street, Anglesea Street, Bridge Street and the southern end of Victoria Street.

Areas courts manager Mike Douglas said he could not begin to calculate the cost of the hoax and subsequent evacuation.

It is the second bomb threat in as many months in central Hamilton. A block was cordoned off last month when Dallas Motors received a bomb threat that turned out to be a hoax.