A false report of hostages at a closed jewelry store on Route 3A in Cohasset triggered a sprawling police response Sunday evening, shutting down the busy roadway and pulling in officers from four neighboring towns before investigators determined the entire thing was a hoax. The caller claimed to be armed with a pistol and rifle, said he was holding two people at gunpoint inside the store, and demanded money for their release — all while staying on the phone with dispatchers and describing officers' movements as if he could see them.
Dispatch Center Took The Call Around 6:30 P.M.
The South Shore Regional Emergency Communications Center received the report at approximately 6:30 p.m., according to Shrewsbury Post. The caller told dispatchers he was barricaded inside with two hostages at gunpoint, a claim Boston 25 News reports came from a man who had phoned in claiming to be barricaded in the closed business. He demanded money in exchange for the hostages' safe release and provided specific details about employee-only areas inside the store, details that initially made the threat appear credible.
The response was significant. Cohasset officers were joined by additional units from Hingham, Norwell, Scituate and Hull, per the same report, and police closed Route 3A in both directions between the Scituate town line and Beechwood Street while the scene was secured.
Caller Seemed To Be Watching Officers In Real Time
What made the call especially unsettling was that the man remained on the phone with dispatchers throughout, claiming he could see officers and accurately describing their locations and movements as they arrived. Investigators later determined why: the caller had apparently gained unauthorized access to the store's video surveillance system, allowing him to watch the police response unfold remotely, the Shrewsbury Post report states.
While the standoff was unfolding, police worked to confirm whether anyone was actually inside. Officers contacted the business owner, who confirmed that she, her family and the store's employees were all safe, and separately reached employees who also confirmed they were unharmed. Officers then conducted a sweep of the business, finding no one inside and no evidence of a hostage situation. No hostages were taken, and no injuries were reported.
Cohasset Police Chief Flags Toll Of Swatting Hoaxes
Cohasset Police Chief William Quigley said incidents commonly referred to as swatting put officers and the public at risk while diverting emergency resources away from genuine calls for help, according to Boston 25 News. Cohasset detectives are now working to identify the caller and investigate how he gained access to the store's camera system, per the Shrewsbury Post account, and the investigation remains ongoing.
A separate incident reported by 7News WHDH in 2021 involved a man who called 911 around 12:20 a.m. one Friday claiming he was armed with a pistol and a rifle while holding his three children hostage inside a Beechwood Street home, and allegedly threatened to detonate an explosive device if police approached. Officers shut down roads around Beechwood Street, Route 3A, King Street and the Shaw's Plaza before confirming there was no emergency and declaring that call a hoax shortly after 2 a.m.
The jewelry store hoax also fits a broader pattern playing out across the state. Franklin police said their own hostage hoax marked at least the third swatting situation in Massachusetts that week, according to WCVB. In that case, a caller claimed a person was being held hostage in an apartment and said he was armed and prepared for a law enforcement response. Officers there established a perimeter, evacuated residents from surrounding buildings, and after entering the apartment found no one inside and determined no threat existed. Wakefield police reported a swatting incident of their own that Monday, while Newburyport police said a family of four was targeted days earlier, WCVB reported.
Potential Legal Exposure For Hoax Callers
Massachusetts law treats knowingly false crime reports as a criminal matter. Under General Laws Chapter 269, Section 13A, a person who intentionally and knowingly makes a false report of a crime to police can face a fine between $100 and $500, up to a year in jail, or both. Separately, unauthorized access to a computer system — or continued access after authorization has ended — can carry its own penalties under General Laws Chapter 266, Section 120F, which allows for up to 30 days in a house of correction and a fine of up to $1,000. Investigators have not identified the caller or announced specific charges, and the probe into how the Cohasset store's camera system was breached continues.
