A 34-year-old Ceres man was arrested early Monday after he was observed exiting a building he was burglarizing.

A witness called Ceres Police at around 3:31 a.m. after a burglar alarm went off at the Alano Club on Herndon Road. The witness checked out the building and saw a man, later identified as James Butler 34, of Ceres, crawling out of a window of the nearby BIC Security offices at 1656 Herndon Road.

Officer Nicolas Welsh was sent to the in-progress burglary as the witness followed the suspect and directed him to the intersection of Herndon and Evans roads. Officer Brian Petersen located Butler and after a short foot pursuit, captured him and placed him in custody.

The owner of BIC arrived and confirmed that his business had been burglarized.  Property stolen from the business was located in front of County Ford Trucks and returned to the owner.

An outdoor shed of the Alano Club’s had been broken into, which triggered the alarm, but nothing appeared to be missing. 

Butler was booked for burglary and an outstanding warrant.