WAUCHULA, Fla. – A Lakeland man was arrested after Wauchula police said he was seen walking around an elementary school campus and checking classroom doors while school was in session.
The Wauchula Police Department said Don Cornelius Stephens, 50, was arrested on multiple charges, including burglary of an occupied structure, disruption of school functions, trespassing on school grounds and loitering.
What we know:
According to the Wauchula Police Department, officers responded to a report of a suspicious person at Wauchula Elementary School around 3 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 21.
Police say a man climbed the rear fence and began walking around the school, checking doors – all while school was in session.
Courtesy: Wauchula Police Department.
The man didn’t make it inside any classrooms and climbed another fence four minutes later, heading own South Florida Avenue, according to investigators.
Dig deeper:
Officers said they began their investigation. The Lee County Sheriff’s Office’s Real Time Crime Center assisted with analysis and facial recognition during the night, and helped identify Stephens as a possible suspect.
Investigators also learned that Stephens has a history of similar incidents in other Florida jurisdictions.
Wachula detectives, along with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, found Stephens on Friday using license plate reader technology and other intelligence tools.
They said Stephens confirmed he was involved in the incident and provided details only the suspect would have known, according to authorities.
What they’re saying:
In a post on social media, Wauchula police wrote, in part, “It is important to note that the safety measures and security protocols that Hardee County School District employees train on and practice regularly were effective. These procedures prevented the subject from gaining access to students or classrooms, and all children remained safe throughout the incident.”
The Source: This story was written with information from the Wauchula Police Department.
