Decatur Police have released more details about an incident that put the College Heights Early Childhood learning center on alert.

Police on Tuesday, Dec. 17, arrested three burglary suspects after an alert neighbor in Oakhurst allegedly caught them in the act. Police responded to a burglary in progress in the 1000 block of East Lake Drive at 12:20 p.m.

The neighbor told police he saw the suspects’ vehicle, a silver Lexus, backed into the victim’s driveway. So the man pulled his vehicle behind the Lexus to block their escape. Then he called police.

“The first officer to arrive observed three suspects run from the rear of the house and enter the Lexus,” Police Lt. Jennifer Ross said. “When ordered to exit the vehicle, the three suspects fled on foot south, jumping a series of fences. A description of the suspects was broadcasted to responding officers and a DeKalb County Police K9 unit was requested and responded to assist.”

Police found one suspect running behind homes on East Pharr Road. Officers chased the suspect down and arrested the suspect behind a house in the 2000 block of Hosea Williams Drive.

“The two additional suspects were later located hiding inside of a shed behind a home in the 900 block of East Lake Drive,” Ross said. “Officers observed a rear window of the victim’s home had been forced open and the interior of the home has been rummaged through. The victim responded and met with officers and stated a new FitBit Versa was missing. The Fitbit was recovered from the wrist of one of the suspects.”

The Lexus the suspects were driving had also been stolen, according to a report filed with the Lake City Police Department.

“The three suspects, identified as 18-year-old Brandon Stokes (no address), 19-year-old Murrain Glass of Atlanta and 19-year-old Romell Haddock of Atlanta, were charged with burglary in the first degree, obstruction of an officer and felony theft by receiving stolen property,” ross said.  “Investigators will be following up with neighboring agencies regarding additional items recovered from the suspects and from inside of the recovered stolen vehicle.”

During the incident, a message went out to parents of  College Heights — located on South McDonough Street — informing them that children remained in their classrooms following lunch and the school locked its doors. City Schools of Decatur Early Childhood Director Sarah Garland said there was no immediate threat to students and a school resource officer was on campus to help.

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