Newly released 911 calls obtained by The Dallas Morning News provide the clearest picture yet of what happened at the Dallas Museum of Art on June 1, when, police say, a vandal broke into the building and seriously damaged artwork. In a crucial failure, the alleged intruder went undetected by museum security until he picked up a phone and called 911 on himself, the calls reveal.
“Hey, I’m in the Dallas Museum of Art,” he told a dispatcher nearly 15 minutes after police say he entered. “Come get me.”
Police arrested the alleged burglar, identifying him as Brian Hernandez, and charged him with criminal mischief of $300,000 or more, a first-degree felony. The 21-year-old remains in jail, held on $100,000 bail. He was indicted on Aug. 18 and is awaiting his next court appearance. His lawyer could not be reached for comment for this story.
The News reviewed recordings of the 911 calls and documents provided by police. Here are the four biggest takeaways from them.
DMA security didn’t know the suspect was in the building until he called 911 on himself
Hernandez entered the building at about 9:46 p.m. and immediately began destroying property, according to police. Police records show 911 received a call from the DMA at 9:58 p.m. that a dispatcher labeled a hangup. One minute later another call came through.
After telling the dispatcher he was inside the museum, the caller, on the recording provided by police, appeared to quickly hang up.
The dispatcher contacted museum security, reaching security officer Jeremiah Roblez at about 10:03 p.m.. In a conversation that lasted about 2½ minutes, Roblez expressed confusion at the idea that a burglary was in progress, telling the dispatcher, “The only other person I know that’s here is security.”
The suspect was in the building for about 17 minutes before security knew there was a break-in
The 911 dispatcher who contacted museum security reached Roblez, the security officer, at about 10:03 p.m., according to police records. Police said Hernandez entered the DMA at 9:46 p.m.
The suspect called 911 more than once
Police records show 911 received multiple calls from the museum at the time of the alleged break-in.
“Hey, I’m in the Dallas Museum of Art,” a man, believed to be the burglar, told a dispatcher in one. “Come get me.”
In a recording of another call minutes later, released by police, the man repeated that he was in the museum, telling a dispatcher, “I just broke in.”
Other calls from the museum to 911 were labeled by police as hangups.
Multiple security guards were in the building
Near the end of her call with museum security officer Roblez, a 911 dispatcher asked if he wanted police sent to the museum. Roblez told the dispatcher his group would double-check on the situation themselves first, adding “I’ve got three officers. They’re all about to split out.”
