By . Sarah Michael . Mathew McGrath, 18, was arrested after a hoax emergency prompted a police swoop on his family home in Arncliffe, Sydney on Wednesday . A Sydney teenager who was arrested after a hoax call to police caused authorities to swoop on his family home has denied making the call and says he is the victim of an elaborate prank. Police descended on the home in the southern suburb of Arncliffe around 4.40am on Wednesday after reports shots had been fired and some of its occupants had been tied up. Mathew McGrath, 18, surrendered and was taken to Kogarah police station for questioning but he has since been released from custody. It now appears he may have fallen victim to a 'swatting' prank, whereby callers phone in fake crimes to elicit an urgent police response to another person's house. Swatting is a modern equivalent of a bomb hoax by telephone and is carried out using online technology that masks the perpetrator's identity. A search turned up no evidence of any shooting and NSW Police are forensically examining three laptop computers and a smart phone found at the Bonar Street house. 'At this stage of inquiries, the matter is being investigated as a public mischief incident,' police said in a statement. The teen has been released pending further inquiries. Scroll down for video . Mr McGrath's sister Kristy denied her brother made any calls to police, saying he was asleep at the time . His sister Kristy McGrath said her brother did not contact the police to report a shooting and he was asleep in bed when it happened. 'The messages were sent via a computer, not actual phone calls,' Ms McGrath told MailOnline. 'I am positive that my brother Mathew would not do such a ridiculous thing and whoever has done this should be ashamed of themselves. 'Mathew is a kind hearted, well-natured man and does not deserve any of this. 'I can only hope that the people responsible are caught and held accountable for their actions.' Neighbour Ray Anderson described the teen as 'a very nice lad'. Mr Anderson told AAP he was woken early on Wednesday morning by bright lights, before seeing police and TV crews lining his usually quiet street. 'I woke up to a great big light shining in my window,' he said. 'It was still dark.' Police descended on the home (pictured) in the southern Sydney suburb of Arncliffe around 4.40am on Wednesday . A NSW State Crime Command spokesman said 'swatting' was a colloquial US term to describe the prank calling of emergency services whereby 'SWAT' style teams are despatched to bogus incidents at homes of innocent people. In 2013 a number of overseas celebrities were the subject of this style of prank, but he said it was not currently an issue in NSW. 'Anyone that is found to have made bogus contact with emergency services, and subsequently wasted public resources, will be dealt with by the full extent of the law,' he said. In NSW, public mischief carries a maximum penalty of 12 months in prison and a fine of $5500. 'Swatting' is a colloquial US term to describe the prank calling of police in order to get them to swoop on homes of innocent people. Celebrity victims include Selena Gomez (left) and Justin Bieber (right) Selena Gomez's house in Los Angeles pictured one hour after it was swatted in April 2013 .
Mathew McGrath, 18, was arrested after a police swoop on his family home .
Authorities descended on the house in Arncliffe at 4.40am on Wednesday .
His sister said the teen was a victim of an elaborate 'swatting' prank .
By . Sarah Michael . Mathew McGrath, 18, was arrested after a hoax emergency prompted a police swoop on his family home in Arncliffe, Sydney on Wednesday . A Sydney teenager who was arrested after a hoax call to police caused authorities to swoop on his family home has denied making the call and says he is the victim of an elaborate prank. Police descended on the home in the southern suburb of Arncliffe around 4.40am on Wednesday after reports shots had been fired and some of its occupants had been tied up. Mathew McGrath, 18, surrendered and was taken to Kogarah police station for questioning but he has since been released from custody. It now appears he may have fallen victim to a 'swatting' prank, whereby callers phone in fake crimes to elicit an urgent police response to another person's house. Swatting is a modern equivalent of a bomb hoax by telephone and is carried out using online technology that masks the perpetrator's identity. A search turned up no evidence of any shooting and NSW Police are forensically examining three laptop computers and a smart phone found at the Bonar Street house. 'At this stage of inquiries, the matter is being investigated as a public mischief incident,' police said in a statement. The teen has been released pending further inquiries. Scroll down for video . Mr McGrath's sister Kristy denied her brother made any calls to police, saying he was asleep at the time . His sister Kristy McGrath said her brother did not contact the police to report a shooting and he was asleep in bed when it happened. 'The messages were sent via a computer, not actual phone calls,' Ms McGrath told MailOnline. 'I am positive that my brother Mathew would not do such a ridiculous thing and whoever has done this should be ashamed of themselves. 'Mathew is a kind hearted, well-natured man and does not deserve any of this. 'I can only hope that the people responsible are caught and held accountable for their actions.' Neighbour Ray Anderson described the teen as 'a very nice lad'. Mr Anderson told AAP he was woken early on Wednesday morning by bright lights, before seeing police and TV crews lining his usually quiet street. 'I woke up to a great big light shining in my window,' he said. 'It was still dark.' Police descended on the home (pictured) in the southern Sydney suburb of Arncliffe around 4.40am on Wednesday . A NSW State Crime Command spokesman said 'swatting' was a colloquial US term to describe the prank calling of emergency services whereby 'SWAT' style teams are despatched to bogus incidents at homes of innocent people. In 2013 a number of overseas celebrities were the subject of this style of prank, but he said it was not currently an issue in NSW. 'Anyone that is found to have made bogus contact with emergency services, and subsequently wasted public resources, will be dealt with by the full extent of the law,' he said. In NSW, public mischief carries a maximum penalty of 12 months in prison and a fine of $5500. 'Swatting' is a colloquial US term to describe the prank calling of police in order to get them to swoop on homes of innocent people. Celebrity victims include Selena Gomez (left) and Justin Bieber (right) Selena Gomez's house in Los Angeles pictured one hour after it was swatted in April 2013 .
By . Sarah Michael . Mathew McGrath, 18, was arrested after a hoax emergency prompted a police swoop on his family home in Arncliffe, Sydney on call and says he is the victim of an elaborate prank. Police descended on the home in the spokesman said 'swatting' was a colloquial US