A Kelowna man has been arrested and remains in custody facing criminal charges after allegedly breaking into a financial institution after hours early Sunday evening.
Just shortly after 6 p.m., the Kelowna RCMP responded to a report of a robbery in progress at the TD Canada Trust Bank located in the 1900 block of Harvey Avenue.
Police have since determined that two janitorial staff members were on site when a suspect gained entry inside the bank through a door, believed to be left accidentally insecure, between the ATM vestibule and the bank itself. The suspect’s entry was undetected by the janitorial crew.
“Once inside the suspect began searching drawers and cabinets for cash. The suspect then began to force entry through an interior wall connected to the banks cash dispensary room,” said Kelowna RCMP Cst. Jesse O’Donaghey.
“It was the crashing noise from this action which alerted the staff to the suspect’s presence. The janitors ran to another part of the bank where they safely locked themselves inside a room and called 9-1-1.”
Several officers attended and surrounded the bank. Investigators entered the bank and located the suspect still inside. He was taken into police custody without incident. The janitorial staff were not harmed.
The 36-year-old Kelowna man faces potential criminal charges of break and enter to commit, as well as failure to comply with a probation order.