A man accused of causing tens of thousands of dollars in damage to the historic Tovrea Castle was arrested by Phoenix police last week, officials said.
Police say 46-year-old Matthew Anderson broke into the castle near 50th and Van Buren streets in May, “caused excessive damage and stole a fire extinguisher from inside the building.”
Police say Anderson was already in jail for an unrelated offense when he was rearrested June 1 on charges of burglary and felony criminal damage.
The site was originally homesteaded in 1907, according to the Tovrea Carraro Society. The wedding-cake style structure visible from Loop 202 was originally designed to be a hotel, but it never opened.
The city of Phoenix bought the property, including the castle, in 1993. The site is now a popular Valley attraction. The only way to get inside is to purchase tour tickets via a lottery system — or become a volunteer.
KJZZ’s Amber Victoria Singer contributed to this report.
