Police arrested a man Tuesday after they said he entered a Victoria bank with a ski mask and duffel bag.
At 11:26 a.m., police were notified of a panic alarm tripped by an employee at the First National Bank of Victoria, 4304 N. Main St., according to authorities.
“The call was in reference to a suspicious person inside the bank,” said Senior Police Officer David Brogger, department spokesman. “He was wearing a mask, and he wasn’t doing bank business.” In addition, Brogger said the man “made suspicious statements.”
Police later arrested Benito Partida, 28, after a short foot pursuit involving a police K-9 unit, according to police. Police apprehended Partida near 4000 N. Vine St.
“We deployed the K9 unit because he took off,” Brogger said. “The canine located him following some tracking and officers are doing an investigation.”
Partida was charged with evading arrest, and Brogger said the man did not attempt to rob the bank.
However, in a statement, Bank President Terry Cullen, of Port Lavaca, referred to the incident as an “alleged robbery attempt” in which “the perpetrator got nervous or scared, ran off, and no one was hurt and no money was taken. Everybody followed the procedures that needed to be done, and all our staff are safe.”
Employees at the bank offered Partida, who was wearing a ski mask and carrying a backpack and duffel bag, a bottle of water, which he accepted before fleeing the bank.
Victoria police continued to investigate the incident as of Tuesday afternoon.
