SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - Three suspects, including two teenagers, have been arrested in connection to a series of burglaries at the former campus of a Phoenix school.
Timeline:
On Oct. 11, Phoenix police say four suspects broke into the now-decommissioned Echo Canyon School campus, located near 62nd Street and Camelback Road. The campus is currently being used to hold community events and for storing school district equipment.
Over several days, investigators say the suspects stole computer equipment and damaged property.
"Scottsdale Unified School District reported approximately $230,000 in stolen or damaged computer hardware and an additional $51,000 in property damage," police said.
Investigators say the crimes are connected to a social media trend known as "urban exploration," where people go into what are believed to be abandoned properties and share photos and videos online.
"In this case, the activity escalated into multiple felony burglaries and criminal damage offenses," police said.
On Oct. 30, police detained two suspects in north Scottsdale, and one of them, a man identified as 18-year-old Blake Eldredge, allegedly admitted to taking part in the burglaries. Police say Eldredge led investigators to another suspect, who was later arrested in Mesa.
What's next:
Eldredge was booked into jail and is accused of multiple felony charges. Police say the two other suspects, both 16-year-old boys, were released pending charges that were submitted to the Maricopa County Attorney's Office.
The fourth suspect is not in custody.
Map of the area where the burglaries happened:
The Source: Information for this story was gathered from a Nov. 4, 2026 news release from the Phoenix Police Department.