Carpentersville schools locked down due to robbery

An armed man in Carpentersville prompted a brief lockdown Friday at a pair of elementary schools, authorities said.

At 12:47 p.m. in the 400 block of Hoover Drive, a homeowner interrupted a burglary in progress by walking into his house — the suspect had entered the home by breaking out a basement window, police said.

As the man walked in, the burglar flashed a handgun and ran out the door headed toward Golfview Elementary School. Police immediately notified school district officials.

“The guy was never any threat to the school; we were just playing it safe because he reportedly had a gun,” Cmdr. Tim Bosshart said.

At 1 p.m., Community Unit District 300 implemented a “shelter in place” at Golfview and nearby Meadowdale schools, said district spokeswoman Allison Strupeck.

As such, no one was allowed to enter or leave the building, staffers patrolled all entrances and exits and school activity went on inside as usual, Strupeck said.

The district lifted the restrictions at 1:30 p.m. after police gave them the all clear, Strupeck said.

The suspect is described as a 6-foot-tall, thin Hispanic man with an Afro. Police did not have any information on the man’s age or on the type of gun he showed. They do not believe he escaped with any of the homeowner’s belongings, Bosshart said.

Police have not yet made any related arrests. If you have any information about the case, call (847) 551-3481.