PHOENIX (AZFamily) — Police have arrested several teenagers accused of burglarizing a former Arcadia school campus, causing thousands of dollars in damage.
Two 16-year-old boys and 18-year-old Blake Eldredge were taken into custody for the alleged crimes. Police are still looking for a fourth suspect.
On Oct. 9, around 5 p.m., police say four people broke into the now-closed Echo Canyon School, located near 62nd Street and Camelback Road. Though the Scottsdale Unified School District voted to close the school last year, the building is still used for community events and district equipment storage.
Police say the suspects repeatedly went into multiple buildings and rooms over several days, stealing and damaging computer equipment and other property. Scottsdale Unified reported $230,000 in stolen or damaged computer hardware and another $51,000 in property damage.
Two 16-year-old boys and 18-year-old Blake Eldredge (pictured) were taken into custody for the alleged crimes.(Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office)
Phoenix police say detectives linked the crimes to the “urban exploring” social media trend, where people go into buildings or properties believed to be abandoned and post their findings online.
On Oct. 30, Phoenix police searched a home in north Scottsdale, detained two suspects and gathered evidence linked to the crime. Eldredge, one of those arrested, reportedly admitted to taking part in the burglaries and gave authorities information about the third suspect and where more stolen property was hidden.
Investigators found the third suspect in Mesa, along with more evidence.
Eldredge was booked on multiple felony charges, while the two teen boys were released to their parents. Police submitted charges to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, which will decide whether to prosecute.
The fourth suspect has not yet been found or identified.
“This investigation highlights the effectiveness of collaboration between law enforcement agencies and school officials. The partnership resulted in the identification of those responsible, the recovery of stolen property, and accountability for those involved,” Phoenix police said in a statement.
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