Crime & Safety
Walker Elementary On Lockdown While Florissant Police Chase Car Thief
Police told Patch that the suspect abandoned the car on foot behind the school before the lockdown was enforced.
Students at Walker Elementary were briefly put on lockdown Wednesday while Florissant Police foiled a car thief nearby.
After six Florissant police cars were seen speeding down Humes towards Shackelford Wednesday, Florissant Patch received an anonymous tip from a community member.
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"I couldn't see where they went but they completely bypassed an accident at Humes and Patterson," the tipster said. "A seventh unmarked car just went that direction also."
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She added that nearby Walker Elementary was instructed by Florissant Police to go on lockdown soon after she saw the apparent chase.
Patch contacted Florissant Police Officer Andy Haarmann, who explained that on Wednesday morning, an officer saw a car drive by that matched a description of a car stolen Tuesday night.
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"The car turned out to be stolen, and the driver bailed out of the vehicle on Verlene and Don Donna right behind the school," Haarmann told Patch. "The officer chased the driver on foot, and he was caught a few blocks up from the intersection."
He added that the male suspect never entered school property.
"But once he started to run on foot, the police department felt it was necessary to let the school know about the activity in the area," he said. "I believe the total time of the incident (when the officer first saw the car to when the suspect was caught) only lasted about 4 minutes."