The FBI, Cranford and Union County Police are investigating a "non-specific threat" received by Union County college this afternoon.

According to Stephen D. Nacco, vice president and executive assistant to the president of Union County College, "in response to a non-specific threat to the college, received at 2:45 p.m., polce are on the Cranford campus investigating."

This is the third time this month that police have been forced to evacuate the campus. The first two times - first on April 2 and again on April 11 - bomb threats were called in. All three of the calls were received at approximately 3 p.m. and so far, all have proven to be a hoax.

This time, in addition to the local police, county police, bomb squad and Sheriff's Department K-9 Unit, Nacco said agents from the local FBI bureau have also been called to the campus to investigate the case and see if the three incidents are connected in any way. No suspects have been identified, but Nacco said he believed the case will be solved.

"Right now we have FBI and the county prosecutor working on that, and we're making a lot of progress," Nacco said Tuesday afternoon as authorities checked the buildings to make sure the campus was safe. "The more the culprit tries to communitcate, the more of a chance we have of catching the person."

Cranford and county police could not immediately be reached for comment.

Nacco said the evacuation was "very orderly," giving police and bomb-sniffing dogs a chance to "sweep" the campus. According to the college official, the caller did not specifically make mention of a bomb when the call was made.

"It was unspecified, but it was enough of a threat that we have to take it seriously," Nacco said.

According to Nacco, the campus is scheduled to re-open for all classes and programs at 4:30 p.m. today.

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