Police: Burglar Cuts Hole in Roof, Breaks Into Banning Pawn Shop

Banning police are searching Monday for a man suspected of cutting a hole into the roof of a local pawn shop in order to lower himself into the store and break into a display case.

According to Banning police, the incident happened just before 3 a.m. Sunday at Banning Pawn on the corner of West Ramsey Street and Highland Springs Avenue.

When the commercial alarm sounded, police officers were on scene within just eleven seconds after being dispatched, according to information provided by Chief Leonard Purvis.

"A perimeter was established and a search of Banning Pawn, businesses that are housed in the same complex, and surrounding area was conducted," a release from Purvis states.

Despite police efforts, though, no one was found or arrested.  Once they got inside the building, they found how the suspect likely escaped.

"A single male, possibly Caucasian or Hispanic, lowered himself inside Banning Pawn," the release said.  "The male broke a display case and then fled through the same way he entered."

Surveillance video shown to Banning-Beaumont Patch shows the man-- who apparently panicked when he set the alarm off-- unsuccessfully tried several times to get out through the roof-- climbing up, and falling down repeatedly-- until he finally made it out a minute or so later.  

At this time, police do not believe anything was actually stolen in the break-in, though the case is still under investigation.  Pawn shop owners also tell Patch nothing was taken.

As of Monday afternoon, the shop had repaired all damage done in the incident.