Lacey police looking for gun theft suspect who prompted a school lockdown
Lacey police are asking the public to help identify a man accused of stealing a gun and ammunition from an area vehicle. His act also caused an area school to go into lockdown Friday morning.
About 9:20 a.m. Friday, the man was reportedly prowling vehicles in the area of 25th Avenue and Ruddell Road Southeast.
Police say the man then stole a Glock 44 handgun and two loaded 10-round magazines.
He and a woman were last seen riding bicycles. Police believe she is associated with the man, but did not commit the crime.
Because the man was seen riding in the direction of nearby Mountain View Elementary School, it triggered a 20-minute lockdown, according to principal Ryan LaDage, who notified parents by email about the situation.
The lockdown was lifted about 9:45 a.m. Friday.
“They (police) had thoroughly searched the surrounding neighborhood, taken witness accounts, and were pursuing the suspect north of the school,” he said in his email to parents. “They were confident that the suspect was well away from the school and our perimeter was secure.”
Anyone with information about the crime is asked to call Lacey police at 360-459-4333 or South Sound Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.
This story was originally published April 24, 2022 at 9:59 AM.
