PHOENIX — A social media “urban exploration” trend turned into a burglary spree that cost a school district more than $283,000, according to Phoenix police.
Detectives arrested several suspects in break-ins at the former Echo Canyon School campus near 4300 N. 62nd St., ABC15 reported.
Police said four suspects forced their way into the decommissioned school on Oct. 11. The campus is no longer used as a school, but it still hosts community events and stores equipment for the Scottsdale Unified School District.
Over several days, the suspects entered multiple buildings and rooms and stole or damaged computer equipment and other property, according to police. The district reported about $230,000 in stolen or damaged computer hardware and another $51,000 in property damage.
Detectives connected the crimes to a trend in which people go into properties they believe are abandoned and post the content online.
On Oct. 30, police served a search warrant at a home in north Scottsdale and detained two suspects. Police said an adult suspect, Blake Eldredge, admitted taking part and helped lead investigators to another suspect and more stolen property.
A third suspect was arrested in Mesa, and a second warrant turned up more evidence, police said.
Eldredge was booked on multiple felony charges. Two 16-year-old suspects were released to their parents, and charges were sent to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office for review. The charges are allegations.
Sources: ABC15. Thee Arizona Times uses AI-assisted reporting reviewed against the sources listed.
Photo: Nyttend / Public domain via Wikimedia Commons.
