Kozeny Wagner, a construction firm at 951 West Outer Road in Arnold, was among victims of a nationwide email hoax that claimed bombs were set to detonate in buildings, Arnold Police reported.
An employee contacted police at 12:58 p.m. Dec. 13 after receiving an email that said a bomb was in the business’s building and demanded a ransom for the bomb not to be detonated. Numerous area police departments reported that schools, office buildings or businesses were receiving the same email demanding money or payment in Bitcoin on Dec. 13.
It is believed the threats were coming from a foreign country, according to a Facebook post by Eureka Police.
Kozney Wagner was evacuated, and K-9 officers from Arnold Police and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency searched the building. No bombs were found during the near hour-long search, the report said.
People were allowed back in the building at about 2 p.m., Lt. Clinton Wooldridge said.