Woerther Elementary Impacted By Police Search For Suspect

Officials confirmed Wednesday afternoon that students at Woerther Elementary School in Ballwin were safe while Ballwin Police searched the area for a suspect.

The following letter was sent to parents from Woerther Principal Jane Levy.

"Dear Woerther Parents:

We want to make you aware that our students did not have outside recess for a period of about 45 minutes this afternoon.

The Ballwin Police Department contacted us around 11:30 a.m. to let us know they were in pursuit of an individual who was suspected of stealing credit cards.

A police officer was at our school to monitor the situation during this time.  As a precaution, the police department requested that our students stay inside the school and have recess in the gym. Please be assured that our students were never in danger.

We appreciate the dedication of our local police officers in keeping our school community safe."

Ballwin Police Sgt. Jim Heldmann told Patch that detectives saw the person who matched a description of the suspect and that the person ran. The person lost Police in a culvert "a good distance" from the school. He said there was "no reason to think the person was armed of any danger to anyone."