Suspect held soon after bank break-in

A BURGLAR was arrested within an hour of breaking into an Absa Bank in Govan Mbeki Avenue, in North End, and stealing a computer monitor.

The break-in happened at about 11pm on Wednesday, when the front door was shattered after the 23-yearold punched in the glass.

Police spokeswoman Colonel Priscilla Naidu said that within minutes of the glass shattering, the police were alerted after the bank’s security systems had picked up movement inside.

“The K9 unit responded to the scene, but on arrival the man had already fled.

“Traces of blood were found inside the bank after the suspect injured himself in the burglary,” she said.

“The CCTV footage was viewed by the bank’s offsite monitoring company who relayed a description of the suspect to police and cameras show the suspect running inside, grabbing a monitor and fleeing.”

The outside cameras showed the man running into a nearby side street.

Shortly after the burglary in the bank, the man had been found walking in nearby Middle Street, around the corner, Naidu said.

“His hands were cut and the computer monitor was under his arm.

“He did not attempt to run when he realised he was caught,” she said.

The man is due to appear in the Port Elizabeth Magistrate’s Court today for burglary.