Police say a group of teens charged with vandalizing a high-rise in downtown Winnipeg Sunday had their escape shafted by a broken-down elevator.
Officers were called to the high-rise building in the first 100 block of Garry Street around 8:44 a.m. for the report of damage to the building’s elevated viewing area.
Police say four suspects found stuck in the building’s elevator were arrested at the scene.
Preliminary estimates from police put the damage to the viewing area at $30,000.
Winnipeg police Const. Jay Murray told 680 CJOB the suspects spent at least an hour destroying furniture and breaking windows, and that police had to take precautions as a result of all the damage.
“Initially, they shut down foot traffic around the building to ensure that any of the damaged windows or anything that was used to damage the windows wouldn’t impact the public walking around this building,” said Murray.
“It’s been determined that there was no risk to the public down below after the incidents happened.”
Three 17-year-old males and a 14-year-old girl are each charged with break and enter and mischief over $5,000.
“I guess, for our sake, they were conveniently stuck in that elevator,” said Murray.