Philadelphia Mailbox Bomb: Across Street from Military Recruiting Office

Philadelphia is no stranger to bombs – or bomb-like objects in mailboxes. Today, according to reports by the local press, December 3, 2007:
”. . .an anonymous call placed to 911 at 7:41 a.m. threatened that there was a bomb in a blue public mailbox at Broad and Cherry Streets. threatened that there was a bomb in a blue public mailbox at Broad and Cherry Streets.
Yellow hazard tape cordoned off the main thoroughfare between Race and Arch Streets from 8 a.m. to just after 10 a.m.
Nearby buildings were evacuated as officers from various districts responded to the scene.
The Bomb Disposal Unit, which deployed a robot, set off a controlled explosion about 50 feet from the mailbox .. . .”

Details about the device in the mailbox have not been released yet.

What isn’t mentioned is that the mailbox is directly across the street from a military recruiting office at 125 North Broad Street: US Army, US Marine, US Navy and US Airforce all are listed as having an office at 125 North Broad. See map here. Scroll down to Broad and Cherry.

Although bomb threats and hoaxes are often pranks, one wonders if this incident was intended to indicate a vulnerability.