BURGLARY SUSPECT ESCAPES CUSTODY AREA COURTHOUSE SEARCHED IN VAIN.

Byline: KAREN MAESHIRO Staff Writer

LANCASTER -- Sheriff's deputies searched Tuesday for a burglary suspect who escaped from custody at the Antelope Valley Courthouse, possibly by slipping unnoticed into a line of inmates who were being released, sheriff's deputies said.

Loreto Romero, 27, walked out of the courthouse between 5 and 6 p.m. Monday and was missed about an hour later, deputies said Tuesday.

``They believe he walked out with another line of inmates who were being released after their hearings,'' sheriff's Lt. Ed Stewart said. ``Some witnesses -- other inmates and civilian workers -- saw this inmate walking out the door with the other inmates.''

Romero was arrested last Thursday by Palmdale deputies on suspicion of burglary and was brought from the Palmdale sheriff's station to the courthouse for his first court appearance, Stewart said.

Romero was still dressed in the clothes he had been arrested in, rather than jail coveralls.

Cmdr. Juan Rodriguez of the Court Services Division said Romero was arraigned in a courtroom and was supposed to be returned to the courthouse lockup.

``When it was time to put him on the bus to return him to the inmate reception center in downtown L.A., we could not find him,'' Rodriguez said.

A search of the courthouse building was conducted by three police dogs, Rodriguez said. He said it is possible Romero got into the line of inmates being released, but the exact mode of escape was not known.

``Once we capture him, we will interview him, and he will tell us how he managed to escape,'' Rodriguez said.

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