The scene could open a teen action movie: Police surround Miley Cyrus' mansion, weapons drawn, watching for an armed kidnapper to slip out the back door. Any second now. Shocking twist! The house is empty (and the unsuspecting singer is probably at some swanky West Hollywood restaurant, feeding sushi to fiance Liam Hemsworth in a corner booth.)
On Wednesday night, Cyrus was the target of "swatting" -- a prank in which an anonymous caller reports a heinous crime to authorities so a SWAT team will swarm an innocent person's home -- TMZ reported.
The caller, whom Los Angeles police are said to be tracking, told a 911 operator that Cyrus' property had been invaded by a kidnapper and there had been a shooting. At least a dozen officers and firefighters responded to the scene, according to L.A. Now. Luckily for all involved, it turned out to be a hoax.
"A home invasion is one of the most intense crimes you can respond to," LAPD Cmdr. Andrew Smith told L.A. Now. "The possibility of armed suspects puts our officers in a high-risk situation, which could have disastrous results."
Police said they think the call might have originated from a cellphone. Making a false call to 911 is a misdemeanor in California. Convicted pranksters could serve up to a year in jail -- or, if someone is hurt in a SWAT raid, three years.