Sheriff: Teens Break Into Park Building to Take Photos

RICE -- The Benton County Sheriff's Office is spreading the word about a trend of burglary and trespass crimes at vacant buildings around central Minnesota.

Sheriff Troy Heck says the crimes appear to be linked to teens who break into a building and then take photos of themselves inside and share their acts on social media.

The latest case stems from a break-in at Bend in the River Park near Rice on Saturday. A witness called authorities to report several young people who broke a window on a locked building and then went inside.

Officers arrived to find three 17-year-old boys, a 16-year-old girl, and a 15-year-old girl in the building. The teens say they went to the park to take photos. One of the teens admitted they broke into the building to take photos of themselves inside.

The teens were released to their parents and face possible burglary and trespassing charges.