7 arrested for trespassing at abandoned Century III Mall, police say
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — Seven people were arrested for trespassing at the abandoned Century III Mall in West Mifflin, police said.
The West Mifflin Police Department told KDKA-TV's Jennifer Borrasso on Tuesday that six men and one woman are set to face charges in connection with the incident. Police said all seven people will be taken to the Allegheny County Jail.
Tuesday's arrests were just the latest trespassing incidents at the abandoned mall.
In October 2023, a social media influencer from Oklahoma allegedly entered the abandoned and condemned mall. Before that, a YouTuber and two other men from Ohio were charged with trespassing, along with a man from Clairton.
In June 2023, a teenager fell through the roof of the mall while filming a TikTok and was hospitalized. Police also arrested three vandals in May 2023 and responded to an arson in April 2023.
Amid the arrests, the battle over the mall and what to do with the dilapidated property continues. A court battle last week gave Moonbeam Capital Investments, the owner of the Century III Mall, 30 days to show good-faith progress in figuring out when the structure will be demolished.
Once the third largest mall in the world and a retail wonder when it opened in 1979, the Century III Mall was sold to Moonbeam in 2013. The company promised to revitalize it, but in 2019, the borough determined the building to be out of compliance.
At its peak, the 1.3 million-square-foot mall had 200 stores and restaurants.