4 charged with trespassing at Century III site, posting footage online
Four people were charged with felony trespassing for sneaking inside of the former Century III Mall property, according to the West Mifflin Police Department.
Christopher Cross, 27, Brody Lones, 23, and Drake Pierce, 22 all of the New Lexington, Ohio area, and Kenlein Ogletree, 21, of Clairton, were identified through video footage they posted online.
The video was sent to the police department tip line, and the four were charged on June 6.
In a statement, West Mifflin police noted that the former Century III Mall property is extremely dangerous.
“Individuals trespassing and responding Officers have been injured,” they said. “It is also private property and posted against trespassing. Any individuals located on or identified as having trespassed on this property will be prosecuted.”
A teenage boy was taken to an area hospital June 2 after falling through the roof at the site, prompting Skyview Volunteer Fire Company (West Mifflin No. 4) to remind people to stay away from the mall.
“We can not emphasize it enough, this property is unsafe and a hazard to your health, please, you absolutely must stay off the property,” the company said in a Facebook post. “Your curiosity is not worth you getting injured.”
Emergency crews extinguished a fire on the third floor of the former mall in April.
The owners of Century III Mall have hired 24/7 security to patrol the site, and the West Mifflin Council plans to decide the former mall’s future at an upcoming public meeting.
Julia Maruca is a TribLive reporter covering health and the Greensburg and Hempfield areas. She joined the Trib in 2022 after working at the Butler Eagle covering southwestern Butler County. She can be reached at jmaruca@triblive.com.
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