CAMILLUS -- Camillus Police have made an arrest in the case of a suspicious package that held up traffic for hours.
Investigators say 36-year-old Christopher Darren Bartels, of Camillus, left a military-style bag taped to a guardrail on Route 5 Monday. The road was shut down for several hours during the investigation.
Bartels has been charged with placing a false bomb or hazardous package substance, and criminal nuisance.
Police say the key to making the arrest was the bag. Bartels bought the bag from an online store and police were able to trace the sale to Bartels.
Police chief Thomas Winn says they are still investigating the motive. Chief Winn says Bartels claims he planted the bag because he was upset about a homicide in Onondaga County.
"(Detectives are) trying to still figure out the 'why' part of this, and we may never know that," Chief Winn says. "It was a very difficult interview for detectives. He was very deliberate in what he told us. He really didn't provide us with a clear motive other than that."
Bartels was arraigned Friday morning in Camillus and is scheduled to appear again Tuesday afternoon.
Wednesday Update:
Camillus police tell CNY Central they are following up a number of leads in the case of the suspicious bag left on Route 5 that shut down the highway for several hours Monday.
Police chief Thomas Winn says media reports about the incident and a person and vehicle spotted in the area have generated some important leads, but he says investigators have a a lot of work to do.
Monday afternoon around 2:30 p.m., police got a tip that a suspicious military-type bag was taped to a guard rail on Route 5. They found nothing harmful in the bag, but should down the stretch of road as a precaution.
Authorities say a man was seen walking eastbound on Route 5 near the Home Depot around 5 a.m. that day. They say he was carrying a green military-style case.
He's described as a white male, 20 to 30-years-old, approximately 5' 10". At the time, he was wearing a black watch cap, a tan or gray micro fiber jacket or hoodie, dark colored pants, and winter style type of footwear. An early 1990's gold four door Saturn was seen parked in the immediate area.
Anyone who may have been on Route 5 near the Home Depot or in Hinsdale Road area between 4:30am and 6:00am and may have seen the man or vehicle is asked to contact Camillus Police at (315) 487-0102. Click here to leave a confidential tip.
10:30 p.m. Update:
Camillus Police detectives want to talk to a man they say was in the area of a suspicious bag found on Route 5 Monday afternoon.
Investigators say the man was walked eastbound in the area of Home Depot around 5 in the morning. They say he was carrying a green military-style case. Police describe him as a white male, twenty to thirty years of age, approximately 5' 10", wearing a black watch cap, a tan or gray micro fiber jacket or hoodie, dark colored pants, and winter style type of footwear.
An early 1990's Saturn four door, gold in color was observed parked on Route 5 in the immediate area.
Around 2:30 PM Monday, police got a tip that a suspicious military-type bag was taped to a guard rail on Route 5. "This bag was a military grade and because it was taped to the guardrail, it caused us concern," said Camillus Police Chief Thomas Winn. The Chief said his department immediately created a secure perimeter, and blocked off traffic to the road to conduct an investigation. Though nothing harmful was found in the bag, he says it was a necessary precaution.
"It concerns you when you hear about a suspicious package, whether it's a bomb or kids making jobs, it makes you worry everyday," said Richard Roberts who works nearby.
An 1,800 feet stretch of Route 5, in both directions was shut down for more than 3 hours as the bomb squad's x-ray robot scanned the bag, and investigators analyzed the scene. Officers re-routed vehicles around the scene, but the slow-moving traffic causing a headache for drivers during rush hour.
Kirt Roe got caught in that traffic jam as he was going to pick up his son from daycare. "Hope my son is okay, that was my concern obviously. It was like a 20 minute, half hour delay but rather safe than sorry," he said.
"Obviously who ever put that package out on the highway was looking for this type of response, which obviously caused a lot of inconvenience to those going home at 5 o'clock," said Lt. Robert Wicks with the Onondaga County Sheriff's Department Bomb Squad.
Anyone who may have been on Route 5 near the Home Depot or in Hinsdale Road area between hours of 4:30am and 6:00am and may have observed the male or vehicle are asked to contact the Camillus Police Department at 487-0102. You can also leave a confidential tip on their website.
7:00 p.m. Update:
Camillus Police have reopened Route 5 in both directions. The highway was shut down for more than three hours because of a suspicious package.
Police say a military-type bag was found taped to a guardrail along the highway. It was found on the eastbound side along the center median. Investigators have not released any information about what was inside the bag, but they say it was not hazardous.
Police are now conducting a criminal investigation into who put the bag on the highway.
Original Story from Monday:
Camillus Police and the Onondaga County Sheriff's Office are investigating a report of a suspicious package.
The Camillus Police Department issued a warning just after 3:00 p.m. saying Route 5 is closed between Warners Road and West Genesee Turnpike westbound and from Newport Road to Milton Avenue heading east until further notice.
Drivers are advised to find an alternate route. Police officers would only say there is an investigation in the area.
Sergeant John D'Eredita of the Onondaga County Sheriff's Office confirms there is a suspicious package, but could not give anymore details.
