Four arrested at Collins Street prison
By Brian Stanley
Four young men were arrested March 28 for allegedly trespassing inside the long-closed Collins Street prison.
Since the Joliet Correctional Center closed in 2002, the legendary lockup has become a target for vandals, thieves and urban explorers – especially with the rise of social media in the last few years.
“(Trespassing) has become a frequent occurrence – mostly with teens and younger adults who are just curious what it’s like or want to share it on social media,” Sgt. Chris Botzum said.
Edwin O. Castrellon, 23; Jesus A. Cabrera, 19; Luis Cabrera, 23, and Erik S. Suarez, 20, all of Chicago, were all found in the prison at 1125 Collins Street about 8:45 p.m. They were charged with criminal trespassing and released on recognizance bonds.
The site is state property, and was under state police supervision for many years, but the empty prison was an admittedly low priority for law enforcement patrol.
“We have motion detectors now wired right to the station,” Botzum noted.
The limestone fortress was built in 1858 and turned “Joliet” into a synonym for prison across the nation over the next century.
Since closing, the yards have fallen into disarray and most valuable material has been stripped out.
The prison’s mattress factory was destroyed by a fire in 2013 and another industries building was burned down in 2017.
Two years ago, a teenage girl accidentally became locked in a cell while trespassing and had to be rescued by firefighters with sledgehammers.