By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Staff Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

GRAND Bahama Police are investigating a break-in at the Garnet Levarity Justice Centre, where three magistrates courts were broken into on Saturday morning.

A 45-year-old Eight Mile Rock resident is in police custody assisting with the investigations.

Assistant Commissioner of Police BK Bonamy reported that around 8am, police were alerted to the incident and made an arrest within hours. He said the suspect was a resident of Sea Grape.

According to initial reports, sometime around 7.30am, a security officer was making checks when he noticed that window screens at the courthouse had been tampered with. He contacted the police.

ACP Bonamy said the culprit allegedly entered the building through a southern window, damaged the doors at three courts, and tampered with file cabinets.

“We can’t say if files were missing, but magistrates and clerks are checking to see if anything was stolen,” he said.

“After two hours on the scene, we took a suspect in police custody that will be assisting us with the investigation.”

ACP Bonamy confirmed that there was no break-in on the Supreme Court side, only at the magistrate courts.

The Garnet Levarity Justice Centre has surveillance cameras. While security checks are conducted throughout the building, there is no security officer or police officer stationed there on the weekend.

ACP Bonaby said they would be consulting the magistrates concerning installing more cameras and having officers posted there continuously.

He expects charges will be filed in the matter sometime next week.