Philly electrician arrested in bomb scare

Capt. James Murphy of the Philadelphia Police Department: "We knew who the individual was. We knew the type of vehicle he was driving."

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania (CNN) -- A Philadelphia electrician was arrested Wednesday in connection with two packages, one containing a bomb, found in and near mailboxes in the city earlier this week, authorities said.

Authorities detained Preston H. Lit, 53, shortly after he dumped trash in a neighbor's yard.

U.S. Postal Service sources said the handwriting on material found in the yard matched three letters found in Harrisburg, the state capital.

The letters -- two addressed to President Bush and the other to Pennsylvania Gov. Mark Schweiker -- had "Royal al Qaeda Headquarters" as a return address, sources said.

CNN NewsPass VIDEO Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, officials say they have arrested a suspect in connection with two packages, one a bomb, found in or near mailboxes. CNN's Bob Franken reports (May 16) Play video

Investigators also have seized at least two postcards addressed to Bush and "possibly a letter or package," a law enforcement source said.

Federal authorities charged Lit with threatening to use explosive devices relating to the mailbox bomb found Monday and a suspicious package -- which turned out to be a box filled with sneakers -- discovered a day later, said FBI Assistant Special Agent Rosanne Russo.

The package Monday detonated as authorities tried to defuse it, although no one was wounded in the blast.

Messages attached to both packages read "Free Palestine" and mentioned al Qaeda, the terrorist network headed by Osama bin Laden, local and federal law enforcement sources said.

At this point, authorities are characterizing the case "more in the category of odd behavior" than a direct threat to Bush and other politicians, a law enforcement source said.

'We knew who the individual was'

A neighbor tipped off authorities after seeing the license plate number of a 1991 four-door Buick Regal near where one of the packages was found. Police issued an all-points bulletin on the vehicle early Wednesday.

The vehicle drove by as police investigated the litter-strewn lawn later in the day.

"We knew who the individual was. We knew the type of vehicle he was driving," said Capt. James Murphy of the Philadelphia Police Department. "He went by the location where we were standing, where he had previously dumped all the trash."

Authorities did not explain why Lit might have dumped trash in his neighbor's yard.

Officers on bike patrol gave chase and took Lit into custody around 5:30 p.m., following a 4-5 block chase. A bomb squad examined Lit's car to ensure there were no explosive devices inside, said Murphy.

Jerri Myers, a neighbor who said she and Lit used to walk their dogs together at night, said he used to sunbathe nude. Lit lived alone and had been away from home off and on in recent months, she said.

"He was a quiet, pleasant man," Myers said.

Suspect stalked local TV personality

A bomb squad member examines a suspicious package Tuesday that ended up being a box with sneakers.

The Philadelphia Inquirer quoted authorities as saying the device found Monday was more sophisticated than a pipe bomb of the kind a Wisconsin college student allegedly placed in mailboxes in five states earlier this month.

The bomb "was wrapped in a foam box packed with nails and had a sophisticated switch to allow the bomber to plant the device safely without it exploding prematurely," sources told the newspaper.

The package was not addressed, did not have any postage and "al Qaeda" was misspelled, federal and local investigators said.

Wednesday's arrest marked Lit's latest in a string of run-ins with the law.

Lit was arrested Tuesday night in Olney, Pennsylvania, questioned about an outstanding warrant from Florida on an unspecified incident and released.

According to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Lit was arrested at least twice, in 1992 and 1993, and charged with a variety of felony and misdemeanor charges stemming from attempts to elude police.

While the ultimate disposition of the charges is unclear, the Florida data showed that several of the charges were dismissed because Lit was mentally unable to stand trial.

He had stalked a Philadelphia TV personality and tried to run over a security guard outside the television station, authorities said.

After another arrest, following a high-speed chase, Lit told a reporter he was "working on a project for a better America."