Break in forces short evacuation of Lynn Camp Elementary School

Police combed through the halls and rooms of Lynn Camp Elementary School this morning in search of the person or people responsible for an overnight break-in that forced the temporary evacuation of the facility.

Students at the school, formerly West Knox Elementary, returned to the building at about 8:48 a.m. following a thorough search for the perpetrators by police and administration officials.

"We just came down to make sure everything was safe," said Knox County Schools Assistant  Superintendent Marion Sowders. "We did not let anyone in the building. We kept all the students on the bus and transported them to the middle and high school just as a safety  precaution."

Authorities were called to the school at about 6:30 a.m. after a report of a burglary in  progress. The school custodian noticed that some of the rooms were in mild disarray and  notified principal Amy Bays, who in turn called police and school system administrators. Officers from the Knox County Sheriff’s Department and Kentucky State Police responded.

"They’ve all been here to inspect it and look through everything," Sowders said. "A few teachers’ desk drawers were pulled out. It was very, very minor. We just wanted to be as safe as we could."

Officials aren’t sure how the burglar or burglars got into the building, but speculate it was through a window. Assistant Superintendent Kim Merida said there did not appear to be any obvious entry points.

"We’re not sure. We think it was through a window but we just don’t know," Merida said.

"There is a thorough investigation going on right now. We hope to know more soon."

The school does not have a burglar alarm system, but does have surveillance cameras throghout. Merida said police are studying surveillance camera footage to see if they can identify who is responsible for the break-in.

At first, school officials thought the suspects might still be in the building. Merida said no one was found by police and no one was ever seen in the building.

Merida and Sowders said they did not believe anything to be missing from the building, but added that teachers are going through their rooms to double check.

Classes are expected to resume today.