Young men arrested for breaking into Jewish Center

Aidan Warmerdam, about 18, of Albuquerque, and Michael Key, about 20, of Rio Rancho, were arrested for breaking and entering with burglary tools at the Jewish Center on Grande Blvd.

Officers were were called to the run-down building on a report of a breaking and entering in progress. As police inspected the scene, the saw Warmerdam and Key walking out of the back of the building — with a sledgehammer — within a fence with no trespassing signs posted. They had a sledgehammer in their possession.

Officers also found on window in the northeast corner no longer boarded up after fires previously damaged the building with the board pulled down and broken. There was also glass and broken wood below the window inside the building. Fragments of broken wood were also found on the sledgehammer.

The property’s security officer told police that he left the building at about 6 p.m. after boarding it up and securing it, and all boards covering damage to the windows and doors were in place at that time.

Warmerdam told police Key had messaged him to pick him up from his house. When he did, he saw that Key had a sledgehammer and that Key suggested going to the “abandoned church” and exploring it. Warmerdam said he grabbed his airsoft pistol in case they met anyone else at the church, and the two of them went to the church.

Warmerdam said after they arrived at the church, Key used the sledgehammer to break the board from the window. Warmerdam said he and Key then entered the building and looked around. Then they exited the building and police were outside.

Key declined to talk to the police.

Key and Warmerdam will both face less than three years in prison if they are convicted.