A Schuylkill County man is accused of stealing a marching band uniform and then breaking into a sports concession stand several months later wearing a woman’s dress.
According to court documents, police in Pine Grove received a call from the High School Principal and Building and Grounds Director at Pine Grove Area School District on April 7 regarding a man seen walking around the school campus during the early morning hours that day.
Video surveillance reportedly showed a man – later identified as Austin Hall, 28, of Pine Grove – entering two separate trailers used by the school district’s marching band. At about 3 a.m., Hall is seen exiting a trailer wearing a band uniform.
Hall also reportedly took food, tools, medical supplies, and a backpack that were being stored in the trailers ahead of the band’s trip to Florida.
Police say the surveillance video shows Hall walking around the school campus looking in windows until he eventually leaves, walking toward Route 443.
In the video, police say there are two tattoos on Hall’s hands. One shows a skulls with horns. The other is a tattoo of the word Hall.
A few months later, on June 23, police were once again contacted by the school district’s Building and Grounds Director regarding another break-in. This time, Hall had allegedly broken into the concession stand at the school’s football/soccer stadium the previous day.
Hall is reportedly first seen entering school property riding a blue 4×4, police say. This vehicle was previously seen parked outside a shed on Hall’s property in the course of the police investigation from the previous incident.
Shortly after 12:30 a.m., police say Hall is seening walking in front of the garage area of the stadium. At 12:37 a.m., Hall reportedly found an unlocked window to the concession stand. He leaves the area for a short time and comes back wearing what police believe is a woman’s dress.
Police say Hall changed clothes several times during the incident. He climbed into the concession stand through the unlocked window and stayed inside for about 45 minutes. Once inside, Hall reportedly tried to cover the cameras with duct tape. While doing this, the cameras were able to get clear pictures of Hall, police say, including the identifying tattoos.
Inside the concession stand, Hall reportedly helped himself to food, drinks, medical supplies, electrical supplies, an air pump, and towels, police say.
Later, Hall returned to the school property, shortly after 6 a.m., and used a hose near the elementary building and used a hose to wash off the blue vehicle he used in the course of the second alleged incident.
Police say they questioned Hall on June 26 and during their interview, he allegedly admitted to both incidents. Hall reportedly said he has a drug problem and somtimes blacks out and doesn’t remember his actions. However, he said he remember these incidents clearly.
Hall said he took the items and hid them in a wooded area known locally as the Ghost Bridge. He added that when he returned to the area to retrieve the items, they were gone. Hall said he had been using the backpack he’s alleged to have stolen to store personal items like his wallet and teeth.
Police have charged Hall with two felony counts of burglary and two counts of criminal trespass along with misdemeanor counts of theft and receiving stolen property.
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