San Francisco police arrest 3 after alleged break-in at Castro Theatre
Three men were arrested after breaking into the iconic Castro Theatre early March 29 and allegedly causing extensive damage to equipment inside.
The cinema's famous organ, while evidently opened up by the suspects, was not damaged.Gary Marx, 38; Nicholas Degrego, 25; and Jason Kilbourne, 32, were apprehended inside the 100-year-old cinema after one of them was spotted inside the building by San Francisco Police Department officers on routine patrol around 6:30 a.m. "The officers also observed broken glass on the front door of the theater, which appeared to be a sign of forced entry," according to a release issued by spokesperson Officer Robert Rueca. "Officers immediately detained the male and called for additional officers to assist them in searching the establishment, which they suspected was just burglarized."The police soon found the two additional suspects along with tools they allege were used in the break-in.
Marx was booked for burglary, while Degrego was booked for burglary and possession of drug paraphernalia. Kilbourne was booked for burglary and parole violation, according to police.
The men were taken to San Francisco County Jail where Degrego and Kilbourne were still being held as of press time.The break-in occurred as the theater is undergoing extensive cleaning and renovation."We are deeply saddened and troubled by this," said David Perry, spokesperson for Another Planet Entertainment, which just recently assumed management of the theater.While unsure of the suspects' motives, they did appear to have "knowledge of the backstage and other public areas," Perry wrote in an email to the Bay Area Reporter.
