Kenner's police chief is warning people not to trespass at the old Esplanade Mall. That warning comes after a YouTuber who recorded video of himself inside the mall surrendered to authorities.
Stephen "Ronin" Pamaran is facing charges for allegedly going into the vacant mall last year and posting a video he recorded online. According to Conley, going into the dilapidated mall carries significant risks.
"The ceilings have failed. They've come down," Conley said. "I know the mechanical system as far as the elevator is failing. People can fall down. That's three or four stories right there. Just all the inherent dangers of a building that's been neglected."
Now, the chief says he's worried about copycats who might try to go inside the abandoned shopping center.
"Since 2021, we've made over 100 arrests of people going into that mall," Conley said. "There's no doubt that these influences have definitely made an impression and have been part of the surge in the breaking into this mall. There's no doubt in my mind."
Conley says a Plaquemines Parish teen's death at the Plaza Tower in New Orleans on Saturday is a reminder of what can happen when someone ventures into an abandoned dilapidated building.
"I think people realize, especially with the tragedy in New Orleans over the weekend, of the inherent dangers of this kind of behavior," Conley said. "Certainly, a mall that size has 100 times the challenges a regular house has. Granted, it's not as big as the building in New Orleans, but it only takes one story. You could go through a subflooring. You could fall a mechanical system. God forbid it catches on fire."
That's why Conley says his officers are keeping an eye out for trespassers. It's also why he says his officers are investigating tips about mall trespassers that have come in over the last few days.
"Anybody that goes into that mall is going to be arrested," Conley said.
