A 21-year-old Stockton man was arrested early Tuesday, Feb. 14 after police caught him burglarizing Walter White Elementary School.

Bryson Goertz, 21, of Stockton, was on probation for possession of stolen property when he was spotted by officers after a 1:21 a.m. alarm notified the Ceres Police Department of a possible break-in.

Sergeant Trenton Johnson spotted Goertz on the school grounds between the office and cafeteria and shined his vehicle spotlight on him, which prompted him to take off running northbound towards the Ceres School District bus yard. As he ran he was seen throwing down items to the ground.

Johnson began searching for the burglar with officers Kiashira Ruiz and Mathew Berlier. Berlier located the suspect hiding behind a trash can in the breezeway near Room 50. Berlier ordered him to lay on the ground and he complied.

Goertz denied burglarizing the school and said he was trying to find a place to sleep. However,

Officer Berlier located a small black box with miscellaneous tools near where he was spotted. In classroom #21 there was a high small window that was broken. It was unknown at this time if the was any property missing from the school.

During a search officers located .357 Magnum ammunition and a bag of marijuana.

Goertz was charged with felony commercial burglary, possession of ammunition on school grounds, felon in possession of ammunition, and probation violation.