The tools available to motivated law enforcement show Pipe Bomber failure was intentional

I suppose he used a credit or debit card at some of those stops but used cash for at least one. Did law enforcement somehow know all of his stops or did these retail stores take it upon themselves to look at their recordings. He must have been a suspect from the get go for them to review that many stops and purchases. I agree with your "motivated law enforcement" but I would add "motivated merchants" (or at least cooperative.