Manhunt for Červenka marred by blunders

The manhunt for Roman Červenka, accused of robbing a bank and then slipping his police escort through a window in a washroom, was marred by blunders. According to Police VP Stanislav Jankovič (above), the first input on the fugitive was entered into the PATROS national information system on January 18. “Because certain data were incorrect, the system failed to automatically provide the information to the international Schengen Information System,” Jankovič said.

Apart from the technical difficulties, Police President Ján Packa conceded there had been a human failure as well. The two police escorts who lost Červenka did not inform their superiors of his escape after 30 minutes had elapsed. The two officers were subsequently fired. Červenka, 26, is considered dangerous, as he faces a life sentence under Slovakia’s three strikes principle.