By KRIS HILL

A pair of would-be burglars in Covington were later found to have handguns in the hatchback of their vehicle after they were arrested Tuesday.

Pursuit of the suspects caused Kent School District officials to send Kentwood High School into lock down mode while authorities searched for the burglars, according to spokesman John Urquhart.

There were a total of four burglars involved, Urquhart said, but only two were arrested. One of the suspects was an 18 year old from Renton and the other one who was caught was 19 and from Seattle.

Neither of the alleged burglars had permits to carry the weapons, Urquhart said, which were found after the vehicle was towed to the sheriff’s impound lot and later examined after a search warrant was obtained.

Dispatchers received a call around 1 p.m. from a 16 year old girl home alone in the 25900 block of 158th Avenue Southeast about half a mile from Kentwood. She saw a car pull up to her house and its occupants got out then attempted to break the door down.

The suspects fled when the home’s burglar alarm went off, Urquhart said, but they were involved in an accident shortly after taking off near Southeast 260th Street and 106th Avenue Southeast.

No one was injured in the wreck and one suspect was arrested while the other three took off on foot. The second suspect was found and arrested a little while later.

King County Sheriff’s deputies joined officers from Covington and Maple Valley as well as the county’s search and rescue helicopter Guardian One and a K-9 unit in the search for the suspects.

The King County Prosecutor’s Office will handle the case when the investigation is complete, Urquhart said.

Kent School District officials reported on its Web site, www.kent.k12.wa.us, the lock down ended at 3:15 and that all students were safe.