MONROE – Students at the temporary Sandy Hook School facility and two other neighboring Monroe schools were put on a "controlled lockdown," Monday, May 5 after Harrison, New Jersey Police notified the local officers that a carjacked vehicle was suspected to possibly be in the vicinity.

Interim Superintendent of Schools John Reed notified Sandy Hook School parents Monday afternoon that on the advice of the Monroe Police Department, recess was held indoors today at the Chalk Hill School, where the Sandy Hook children currently attend classes.

Dr Reed forwarded the following message to the Sandy Hook parents: 

“Dear Parents and/or Guardians,

“I'm writing to inform you that the Sandy Hook School was advised earlier today by the Monroe Police Department that there was a possibility of a stolen vehicle in the area of a Monroe campus which includes the Sandy Hook School. We were asked to hold recess indoors as a precautionary measure. The Monroe Police Department also told Principal Donna Pagé that with the exception of recess, all normal activities and procedures could take place.

“I thought it was important to share this information.”

Detective Lt Brian McCauley told The Newtown Bee that the carjacking occurred in Harrison Sunday evening, and that police were tracking the vehicle using GPS technology. It was unclear whether police were using a phone or GPS system, or anti-theft technology like Lo-Jack to track the location.

"The last hit they got on their GPS locator was at 9 am Monday morning in the area of Chalk Hill School," Lt McCauley said. "Since then they had no active signal. So our officers scoured the area while the three area schools were put in a controlled lockdown."

Once any possibility of a threat was cleared, the preventative security measure at the schools was lifted. 

This report was updated May 7 with new information from Monroe Police.