(Oct. 20, 2006) -- Parents of students at ELB's Emerson Parkside Academy Charter School learned via an Oct. 20 letter from Director Mark Andreatta that at about 1:00 a.m. Friday someone entered a small office through a window in the cafeteria/auditorium area. The entry set off an intrusion alarm; LBUSD School Safety personnel & LBPD responded; a suspect was aprpehended; LBPD Crime Scene investigators arrived; initial reports indicated nothing of significant value was taken.

And now the rest of the story.

LBReport.com has learned that a suspect was apprehended thanks to savvy, sharp eyed neighborhood policing by East Division officers Joe Gludt and Jon Steinhauser. And yes, Officer Steinhauser is the nephew of LBUSD School Superintendent Chris Steinhauser and the son of 5th district Council candidate (April 06) Patrick Steinhauser.

LBPD PIO Jason Wong tells LBReport.com that LBUSD School Safety Officers described a subject seen fleeing the school on foot...and officer Steinhauser recognized the suspect description as one matching a call earlier in the evening involving a subject allegedly driving through area neighborhoods without headlights.

Officers Steinhauser and Gludt canvassed the area looking for that same vehicle, knowing that burglary suspects may leave their get-away vehicles nearby...and the officers located the vehicle in the neighborhood near Emerson school.

LBPD PIO Wong indicates there was allegedly evidence in the vehicle suggesting the person was targeting schools in the area. A suspect, an adult male from Compton, was arrested when he was spotted near the vehicle.