FORT MYERS, Fla. — Fort Myers High School went into a brief lockdown Thursday morning after police said someone broke in. The Lee County School District said the person not only walked in through a door that didn't close all the way, but the alarm was not set either.
The break-in happened on Wednesday before midnight while campus was empty. The lockdown was to make sure the suspect was no longer there.
"That was the perfect thing to do," said Dr. Dave Thomas, a criminal studies professor at Florida Gulf Coast University. "That was probably the smartest thing they could’ve done was put them in a lockdown."
In two letters to FMHS families from principal Dr. Robert Butz, he said they had discovered evidence of a break-in to the school's science wing. They evacuated the building prior to the lockdown.
According to Fort Myers Police, the person who broke in took money, food and was likely looking for shelter.
"I would be concerned, but I think this is a learning lesson," Thomas said. "It's a teachable moment and make sure everybody checks those doors."
In a second letter to families, Butz said they repeatedly tested the door the suspect used. They said it locked every time, so staff members determined it to be in working order.
"Due to a miscommunication, our alarm was not activated last night and we have addressed that internally," the letter read. "We have reviewed and reminded all staff of the proper procedures for securing the campus at night."
Thomas says the weakest link to any security system is a human being.
"If you think about security, we're the last line of defense, meaning that we check all the doors to make sure they're locked," he explained. "We check all the windows to make sure they're locked."
Fox 4 asked the district who is in charge of making sure the doors are locked, and if anyone in that position is on leave. They did not answer either question, referring us back to the letters sent to families.
Fort Myers Police said the responsibility does not necessarily fall on the school resource officers.
As for the suspect, he was already gone by the time school started, but again, they went into lockdown as a precaution. FMPD says homeless outreach officers are working with detectives to identify the suspect.
If the suspect is caught, he will face a felony burglary charge, among others.
