9 teenagers caught after escaping from Pennsylvania detention center

Robert Besser
22 Sep 2023, 11:37 GMT+10

Pennsylvania state police said that nine teenage boys who escaped from the Abraxas Academy detention center this week were captured less than 12 hours later
After a brief car chase in a stolen pickup truck and trailer, police caught the other five, with four inside the vehicle
Beohm said the escape happened after the boys, aged between 15 and 17, wrested the keys from two staff members at the detention center

MORGANTOWN, Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania state police said that nine teenage boys who escaped from the Abraxas Academy detention center this week were captured less than 12 hours later.

Pennsylvania State Police Trooper David Beohm said, "It probably was planned, but poorly planned."

"The first four were taken into custody shortly before 6 a.m. after they went to a home and knocked on the door. They turned themselves in because they were cold and tired," he added.

After a brief car chase in a stolen pickup truck and trailer, police caught the other five, with four inside the vehicle. The last teenager managed to run away but was caught shortly after.

Beohm said the escape happened after the boys, aged between 15 and 17, wrested the keys from two staff members at the detention center.

"They got out of the building and went to the recreation yard, where they found a spot to crawl under the fence. All were captured less than five miles from the detention center," he added.

The escaped teenagers were in detention for firearms possession, robbery, auto theft, and other offenses. He further added that all of them would be charged with escape, and some may face other charges.

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