A suspect who allegedly stole a passenger’s bag at the Pettah Central Bus Stand was detained within minutes of the theft after Air Force personnel watching the terminal’s surveillance feed saw it happen, NewsFirst reported.
The theft took place on Sunday, August 23, and was picked up in real time on the CCTV network run from a newly established operations centre at the bus stand.
Sri Lanka Air Force personnel on duty responded as soon as they spotted the incident on camera, according to the report. The suspect was identified, apprehended and handed over to Sri Lanka Police for further action.
Part of the Clean Sri Lanka refit
The monitoring system forms part of the modernised operations centre installed at the terminal under the government’s Clean Sri Lanka initiative, which funded the refurbishment of one of the country’s busiest transport hubs. The Air Force carried out the renovation work and continues to manage the site’s infrastructure — an arrangement reviewed when the Defence Secretary and the Transport Minister inspected the terminal in June.
Officials said the network operates around the clock. Beyond detecting theft and pickpocketing, it is designed to speed up responses to emergencies inside the terminal, including passengers falling ill and accidents.
A security question raised in April
The arrest speaks to a concern raised when the refurbished terminal first opened. Days after the April reopening, newly installed facilities were vandalised and a 33-year-old Kelaniya man was arrested over the damage, an incident that drew calls from commuters and officials for better security at the site. Security and safety were among the operational items on the agenda at the June inspection.
NewsFirst did not name the suspect, give his age, or say what the stolen bag contained, and did not report what charges he faces. As of Monday evening, no other verified Sri Lankan newsroom had published its own report of the arrest.
