Three burglary suspects were arrested earlier his morning by Jefferson County Sheriff’s officers after a car chase and manhunt that began in Meridan.

A fourth suspect remains at large, but officers think they know who he is, Undersheriff Jeff Herrig said.

At 3:43 a.m., an officer responded to a burglar alarm at K-4 Mini Storage in Meridan and arrived three minutes later to find the suspects getting into a van, Herrig said. The officer pursued the van about 5 miles south of town until the van missed a curve and struck some trees. The suspects fled on foot.

The officer, identified as Kevin Gibson, had a dog with him and was able to track down one suspect who hiding near a swimming pool at a residence, Herrig said. Two other suspects – a man and a woman – were caught after a tow truck driver who was picking up the van saw them walking along a road, the undersheriff said.

Helicopters from the Topeka Police Department and the Kansas Highway Patrol aided the search. Officers gave up the hunt for the fourth suspect after daybreak, Herrig said.

All four suspects are from Topeka, Herrig said. Formal charges are pending. Three of the storage units were broken into but officers weren’t sure what was taken. Late this morning, they were seeking a warrant to search the van, Herrig said.