TWO BOYS CAUGHT IN SCHULTZ

Two Cape Girardeau boys couldn't wait until Monday to go to school, police said.

On Tuesday evening, a 15-year-old boy and a 12-year-old boy broke into Schultz School at 101 S. Pacific St., Cpl. Kevin Orr said.

Officers Ricky Price and Mark Wyatt responded at 8:36 p.m when it was reported that an alarm was sounding.

When the officers arrived at the school, they walked around the outside of the building and found a tape player and a green T-shirt lying on the ground near the foyer area on the west side. Police also discovered the double doors to the cafeteria open.

They called for two other officers to come to the school to watch the windows and exits while they went inside, said Sgt. Roger Fields, who came along with officer Ike Hammonds.

As Price climbed the stairs to the second floor, he heard a noise. Thinking it was Wyatt, he called out. Then Price saw a 12-year-old boy. He told the boy to stop, but the boy ran down the stairs.

With Price and Wyatt in pursuit, both boys ran to a bathroom to hide.

The two boys tried to hold the door shut so police could not enter, Fields said. The boys were not successful.

"The 12-year-old was bigger than the 15-year-old," Fields said. "But they still were just juveniles."

Police found in the boys' possession several items that had been stolen. They were a voice recorder, bullhorn, several pens and a container of Altoid breath mints, Orr said.

No serious damage was done in any part of the building, Fields said. But police were not sure whether the boys had jarred the door open or if someone had left it open, he said.

The 12-year-old boy would have been starting school at Schultz on Monday, Orr said.

When the principal showed up shortly after the two were taken into custody, the older boy told him he used to attend Schultz, Fields said.

Both boys were cited into the juvenile detention center for burglary, stealing and possession of marijuana, police said.