Social media influencer charged with trespassing at condemned Century III Mall
WEST MIFFLIN, Pa. (KDKA) — A social media influencer is accused of entering the abandoned and condemned Century III Mall.
West Mifflin police said YouTuber and social media influencer Carter Banks, known as BigBankz, was charged with criminal and defiant trespassing.
They say the 26-year-old from Oklahoma traveled to the vacant mall last month and somehow broke in. The video ended up on social media, police said.
"We are not sure where he entered," West Mifflin Police Chief Gregory McCulloch said. "I believe he entered around the old Steve & Barry's store."
"The only way for him to enter that mall would have to rip down plywood or break-in," he added.
The chief explained how his detective linked Carter to the mall.
"We were able to ID him through his Facebook page and his Instagram page," McCulloch said. "We were able to get his name and a positive ID. We were able to locate where he lived."
There also is a man in the video who police haven't been able to identify.
Earlier this year, another YouTuber and two other men from Ohio were charged with trespassing, along with a man from Clairton. Before that, a teenager fell through the roof of the mall and was hospitalized.
The police chief said security guards work around the clock at the mall, but somehow Carter slipped through. All of the doors are secured with plywood and there are "no trespassing" signs.
"We are going to arrest you," McCulloch said. "We are going to file charges against you and we are going to follow through with them. This is more for their safety."
The chief said the department has been in touch with Banks' lawyer and was told he wants to turn himself in.
The mall, which is owned by Moonbeam Capital, was condemned by West Mifflin officials. The company is appealing the condemnation and a hearing is scheduled for December.
KDKA-TV reached out to Moonbeam Capital and Banks but did not hear back.
Banks has 2.7 million followers on TikTok, 455,000 subscribers on YouTube and 155,000 followers on Instagram.