SAN DIEGO – Authorities evacuated three San Diego courthouses Tuesday after law enforcement officials in three states were told that explosives had been planted in the buildings. Searches found no explosives.

The threats from an anonymous caller or callers were made to authorities in Maine, Rhode Island and Washington state and then relayed to police in San Diego, said Chris Saunders, a spokesman for the San Diego County Sheriff’s office.

Authorities evacuated the San Diego County Superior Court branch in the Kearny Mesa neighborhood, north of downtown, shortly after a threat was relayed around 9:30 a.m. from authorities in Oxford County, Maine, Saunders said. The court branch handles mostly traffic, small claims and juvenile infractions.

An hour later, a threat relayed by local authorities in Washington state led sheriff’s officials to evacuate the county’s two main courthouses, located next to each other in downtown San Diego.

A third telephone call was passed along from Newport, R.I.