Back to the attempt, I wonder if he planned on being a suicide bomber, and when it did not go as planned he tried to get out of town; or if he was trying to avoid the blast altogether. If the vehicle had blown up, finding the VIN of the specific vehicle would have been a humongous undertaking. Assuming this guy is the right guy, then good job piecing it all together that quickly.
Official: Times Square suspect says he acted alone - Yahoo! News