Deputies in a Florida county arrested a man Monday who they say stole hundreds of dollars in lottery tickets from a Treasure Coast gas station and later led them on a chase, causing one school to be placed on a lockout.
NBC affiliate WPTV-TV reports the incident took place in Stuart, when 31-year-old Andrew Ekren allegedly grabbed the tickets from a Mobil on the Run station and fled.
Martin County Sheriff's Office deputies chased Ekren, who was in a car with a woman, before the car crashed and the Virginia native fled on foot.
The chase led to a nearby elementary school to be placed on a lockout. Ekren was found in a nearby subdivision area around 4:30 p.m., nearly two hours after the chase began.
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The woman who was with Ekren was found in a nearby portable toilet and arrested on charges for out-of-state warrants.
Deputies say Ekren has a history of stealing lottery tickets along with other crimes and the car he was in was reported stolen in Palm Beach County.
Martin County School District officials say the lockout was placed due to police activity in the area, but school had already been dismissed for the day and no students were in danger at the time.
