Off-duty officer foils bank robbery in Nuñoa

SANTIAGO.- A police officer that was off-duty celebrating the holidays managed to intervene in a bank robbery in the municipality of Ñuñoa, arresting one of the thieves and recovering the stolen items.

According to Radio Cooperativa, while passing by a BBVA bank branch, Lieutenant Ricardo Luengo noticed that the front glass door had been destroyed and spotted a Subaru Legacy vehicle just a few meters away with its doors open.

Concerned by the scene, Luengo drew his gun and positioned himself behind the vehicle and waited. The assailants appeared exiting the bank only moments later and were carrying computers.

Lieutenant Luengo fired shots into the air and confronted the perpetrators, managing to arrest one of them while the second fled the scene.

The man arrested was identified as 26 year-old Ismael Sandoval Salas, who possess an extensive criminal record.

Lieutenant Alejandra Vargas of the 33rd Commissary of Ñuñoa, stated that "all of the stolen articles were recovered, including three computers and three plasma televisions".

The vehicle the two suspects had been driving was allegedly reported stolen on December 21st of this year.