(CNN) -- A 50-year-old man accused of strapping a suspected explosive device around the neck of an 18-year-old woman near Sydney, Australia, earlier this month was arrested Monday more than 9,000 miles away, Australian law enforcement officials said. "The offender in this matter has been identified, and it's been confirmed that he traveled to the United States," New South Wales police commissioner Andrew Scipione told reporters. Police said that a man broke into the Mosman, Australia, home of the woman, later identified as Madeleine Pulver, on August 3 and attached what she then believed to be a bomb. The woman spent 10 hours attached to the device before having it removed by police bomb technicians. Authorities later determined it had been inert.
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NEW: The suspect "was surprised" to be arrested 9,000 miles away, an official says
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NEW: He is an Australian citizen, 50, who often traveled to the U.S., the official adds
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Police say the man strapped a suspected collar bomb on a woman, 18, near Sydney
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The teen spent 10 hours attached to the device, which ended up being inert
Speaking on what was Tuesday morning in @placeholder, Scipione thanked the Pulver family, as well as investigators in both Australia and the United States, for overcoming several challenges to find the person they believe was behind this "hideous crime."