Workers alert police to man accused of having bomb parts

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - An Illinois man was jailed on $250,000 cash bond Thursday after Missouri prosecutors accused him of having components for pipe bombs, and Home Depot workers are being credited with tipping off authorities.

Prosecutors in St. Louis County charged Douglas Herr, 44, of Chatham with a felony alleging he possessed an explosive substance or material with plans to make an explosive weapon.

Bridgeton police investigator Ryan Dickherber said in an affidavit included with the criminal complaint that Herr brought a pipe to a Home Depot on Wednesday and asked for it to be cut into 7.5-inch-long sections, with each end threaded for a cap. Workers who apparently were suspicious about his request called police as Herr waited.

Nine pipe caps, 25 pounds of gunpowder and fuse wire were found in Herr's hotel room, Dickherber said in the affidavit.

Online court records don't show whether Herr has an attorney.

Court officials on Wednesday sought for Herr's five years of probation in a robbery and assault case in nearby St. Charles County to be revoked. He was put on probation last month after entering an Alford plea, meaning he didn't admit guilt but conceded that prosecutors had enough evidence to gain a conviction.

While sentencing Herr to probation, the judge suspended a seven-year prison term for robbery and a five-year one for assault.

Herr also was ordered to be supervised by mental health professionals, and to undergo random drug testing and substance abuse evaluation and treatment as needed.