QUINCY - Police say whoever called in a bomb threat to a Southern Artery business Wednesday afternoon appears to have been trying to extort money.

Police evacuated several businesses near Pond Street around 1 p.m. Wednesday after bomb threats were reported at CVS/pharmacy and Punjab Cafe, which are on either side of Southern Artery. Police swept through the area with dogs but found nothing suspicious as of 2:30 p.m.

Quincy Police Lt. John Steele said the person who called in one of the threats had demanded money and threatened to detonate a bomb if he didn't get it. He said the caller had a foreign accent, perhaps Indian or Pakistani.

The threats remain under investigation.