Three men arrested after breaking into old Knoxville Junior High School

3 out-of-state men arrested for breaking into abandoned Pennsylvania school

Three men were arrested Monday after Pittsburgh Police were called for a reported break-in in the city's Knoxville neighborhood.

Pittsburgh Police say the men broke into the old Knoxville Junior High School along Charles Street.

Police say SWAT officers were called while a protective sweep of the area was being conducted.

Three men were arrested Monday after Pittsburgh Police say they broke into the old Knoxville Junior High School. KDKA

The three men were taken into custody without incident a short time later.

According to court paperwork, the three men, identified as Sean Alvarez, Pearson Phillips, and Kai Oritz, are all facing criminal trespassing charges.

Police say the three men traveled to the Pittsburgh area from Kansas and Illinois to go into the building and take pictures, something they say they regularly do. 

Stephanie Moore, who lives in the Knoxville neighborhood, called the suspects' excuse for breaking into the former school suspicious.

"To come from out of town for that? Come on," Stephanie Moore said.  

Moore wondered what their next move would have been if they had not been caught. 

"If they're breaking in schools, what's next?" asked Moore.

All three men are awaiting arraignment. It's unclear when they're expected to face a judge for a preliminary hearing. 

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