Colombian man arrested after breaking into War Studies University in Warsaw
A 38-year-old Colombian national smashed a window and entered the War Studies University in Warsaw early on July 3. He was immediately detained by security and now faces up to 10 years in prison for burglary.
The incident
In the early hours of July 3, 2026, a 38-year-old Colombian man broke into the War Studies University (Akademia Sztuki Wojennej) in Warsaw's Rembertów district. Around 5:20 a.m., the man, who was in a publicly accessible area of the campus at al. gen. A. Chruściela 103, used a stone to smash a window of a building housing administrative offices. He then climbed through the broken window and entered a room belonging to the university's HR department.
A Colombian citizen, most likely under the influence of intoxicants, while on publicly accessible grounds, damaged a window pane in one of the academy's buildings with a stone. He then entered one of the rooms through the damaged window, where he was immediately detained by security staff and handed over to police officers.
Security guards on site reacted swiftly, apprehending the intruder on the spot and holding him until police arrived. No items were stolen from the university; the damage was limited to the broken window.
- Man breaks window with stone and enters HR office
- Security guards detain intruder immediately
- Court orders three-month pre-trial detention
Investigation and charges
Police from the Rembertów station, together with the Military Police (Żandarmeria Wojskowa), secured the scene, collected evidence, and began an investigation. The man was initially suspected of property damage under Article 288 §1 of the Polish Penal Code, which carries a penalty of 3 months to 5 years in prison. As the investigation progressed, he was also charged with burglary under Article 279 §1, which carries a sentence of up to 10 years. Authorities also determined that the man was staying in Poland illegally.
Court decision
On July 4, the Warsaw District Court, based on evidence gathered by the police, ordered the suspect's pre-trial detention for three months. The Warsaw Police Headquarters stated that the prosecutor had requested the detention, and the court granted it.
The court, on the basis of evidence gathered by police officers, applied a preventive measure in the form of temporary arrest for a period of three months against the Colombian citizen detained on the premises of the War Studies University. The man was charged under Article 279 §1 of the Penal Code.
The suspect now faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted. The investigation is ongoing, and authorities are working to determine the motive behind the break-in.
Security notification
Due to the sensitive nature of the location (a military academy), the incident was reported to the Military Counterintelligence Service (SKW) and the Internal Security Agency (ABW). While the break-in appears to have been a random act by an intoxicated individual, the involvement of counterintelligence underscores the seriousness with which Polish authorities treat any breach at a military facility.
