Suspect questioned after break in at Coleman Elementary

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On April 28, 2025, an ECE teacher called the Fagatogo Police Station (FPS) and reported an alleged burglary at the Coleman Elementary School.

The suspect was later apprehended and charged with:

Count 1: Trespass, a class B misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to six months, a fine of $500, or both imprisonment and fine;

Count 2: Burglary in the Second Degree, a class C felony punishable by imprisonment not to exceed seven years, a fine of not more than $5,000, or both;

Count 3: Stealing, a class C felony punishable by imprisonment not to exceed seven years, a fine of not more than $5,000, or both; and,

Count 4: Property Damage in the Third Degree, a class B misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to six months, a fine of $500, or both.

The defendant’s bail was set at $5,000.

Court records revealed that on Apr. 28th, at approximately 8:18 a.m., FPS received a call from an individual (reporter) requesting police assistance regarding a break-in at the Coleman Elementary School ECE classrooms.

Upon arrival at the scene, police met up with the reporter, who was a teacher at the said school. She briefed the officers about what had happened.

The teacher stated that when she got to work, she and her colleagues noticed that the storage room doors were open and most of the desktop drawers were open. They also discovered that it was not just one room but all four ECE classrooms that had been broken into. The unknown intruder damaged the door locks by prying them with a knife and scissors that they found inside one of the classrooms. The police were then contacted for assistance.

At the scene, a male janitor approached the officers and stated that he had seen Austin Fanene (suspect) roaming the area trying to look for something. He approached the suspect and confronted him, but he ran away.

The officers proceeded to try and locate the suspect, and while patrolling an area near the scene, the suspect was observed standing next to a dumpster. One of the officers approached the suspect and asked him to come with him to the police station for questioning. The suspect was notified that he was a person of interest in the theft case. He agreed and voluntarily entered the unit and was transported to the station for further investigation.

The suspect was later identified as Austin Fanene, as reported by the school janitor.

Upon arrival at the station, Mr. Fanene was Mirandized to which he understood and was willing to make a statement.

According to the suspect, he verbally admitted to the break-ins. He said that he first used a 10-inch kitchen knife to pry the bathroom door open in the ECE building and then he broke into all the ECE classrooms. Austin said only took a case of saimin bowls, a blue t-shirt, a stove and three tablets. He also admitted that he sold all three tablets to strangers for $10 each.

The suspect also provided a written statement.

It was later revealed that the value of the stolen items was over $100.

The defendant is identified as a 26-year-old U.S National.

There is no mention if the suspect was detained at that time.