Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla is publicly acknowledging death threats that have made against him and his family.

In a statement issued Friday afternoon following a security breach at City Hall Thursday, Bhalla said he and his family have been threatened and that the city is working with the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force to improve security at City Hall.

"This incident, along with death threats to me and my family, is an unfortunate reminder that we need to take security seriously," Bhalla said.

The announcement came less than 24 hours after a man entered city hall and left a bag in Bhalla's office. The man, who was not apprehended, entered the building through the Newark Avenue entrance just before 8 p.m. and went through metal detectors. He told security officers that he was going to use the restroom.

Bhalla's deputy chief of staff, Jason Freeman, was the only person still in the mayor's office at the time and noticed that a bag had been thrown in the direction of a secretary's desk. Freeman made eye contact with the man, who ran out of the office and fled the scene.

City spokesman Juan Melli referred all questions about the investigation to Hoboken police. The department's investigations bureau did not respond to an email seeking additional information on the incident and death threats.

In his statement, Bhalla said the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force has "evaluated" City Hall and that the city is working with the task force to implement their recommendations for physical and procedural changes to improve security for all employees in the building."

Bhalla became the state's first Sikh mayor when he won a hotly-contested six-person race in November.

Melli said this Bhalla's statement is the first time that he has publicly acknowledge the death threats.

"We take incidents like these incredibly seriously and will continue working to ensure the security of the mayor and everyone who visits City Hall," said Hoboken Police Chief Kenneth Ferrante said in a statement.