by KYW's Pat Loeb

An out-of-state couple was arrested Thursday morning at the federal building in center city Philadelphia for trying to bring a knife into the secured building.  And the subsequent investigation inconvenienced local people and tourists around Independence Mall for hours as streets and an underground parking garage were closed down.

The tense moments started when the couple from out of state tried to get into the federal building on 6th Street, carrying a knife and  bullet casings.

Janice Fedarcyk, special agent in charge of the Philadelphia FBI office, says they were stopped at the screening area:

"The subsequent investigation led us to a vehicle parked in the garage here, where we have recovered some additional items."

Those items included additional weapons.

Fedarcyk says the couple is in custody and will be charged with attempting to enter federal property with prohibited items. She declined to give their names or say where they were from, but a visitor who was parked near the couple's car said it appears they had been living in the vehicle.

Fifth Street, Sixth Street, Market Street, Arch Street, and Race Street were all shut down during the investigation -- to both vehicles and pedestrians in the area immediately surrounding the parking garage.  All those streets were reopened by noon. 

 (Photo by KYW's Dennis Abdul-Jihad)