Crazy Man Breaks Into the Tom Green County Courthouse Then Calls Police to Report It

SAN ANGELO, TX — In a bizarre turn of events, the San Angelo Police Department received an unexpected call on Tuesday, November 21, 2023, at around 5:52 AM. The caller? An individual who had just broken into the Tom Green County Courthouse.

As the alarms blared inside the courthouse, signaling the break-in, officers from the San Angelo Police Department, alongside deputies from the Tom Green County Sheriff's Office, quickly responded to the scene. There, they discovered Noe Blanco, a 27-year-old individual, in one of the courtrooms.

Blanco, who had sought refuge in the courthouse, was taken into custody without incident at approximately 6:10 AM. His reasons for breaking in, as stated, were to find shelter, following which he made the call to the police department himself.

Upon his arrest, Blanco faced charges including criminal mischief, criminal trespass, and a pre-existing warrant for a parole violation. Thankfully, the damage to the courthouse was minimal, limited to a single broken window.

Currently, Blanco is being held at the Tom Green County Detention Center. Meanwhile, the incident has spurred an active investigation to further understand the circumstances leading up to this unusual break-in.

This incident serves as a reminder of the unexpected challenges faced by local law enforcement and the importance of quick response to protect public properties. Further updates will be provided as the investigation into this incident continues.

Breaching Texas courthouses is serious. On February 4, 2021, a man broke into the Mason County Courthouse, spread gasoline and torched it. The Mason County courthouse building was a historic structure built in 1910. In cost $20 million to restore the historic building. Unlike the Mason structure that at the time of its burning undergoing renovation and all county records had been removed, the Tom Green County Courthouse houses most all of the county's court records.