Police are continuing to search for a man facing multiple charges who escaped from a police station in western Japan.

30-year-old Junya Hida broke out of the Tondabayashi police station in Osaka Prefecture on Sunday night.

Sources close to investigators say security camera footage taken nearby shows a man who looks like Hida riding a red bicycle. They say the footage shows the suspect heading north, and that he may already be out of Tondabayashi City.

Police have mobilized 3,000 officers in the manhunt for Hida. He had earlier been indicted on charges including burglary causing injury or theft. He was also arrested for an attempted sexual assault last week.

Police are analyzing security camera footage and searching absent and vacant houses.

They believe Hida escaped from the police station after he met with a lawyer by breaking an acrylic partition that separates detainees and visitors.

Investigative sources say he likely climbed over a wall after sneaking out of a backdoor.

Source: ANNnewsCH