Who broke into LSU's stadium? 19-year-old arrested for launching $1500 beer heist
Tiger Stadium, home of the LSU Tigers, was invaded early Sunday morning and had $1,000 in beers allegedly stolen by a group of men.
Police arrested 19-year-old Bryce Tilotta after he was seen by LSU campus police along "a group of college-age males" carrying several cases of beer around 3 a.m. on Sunday. Surveillance video from Tiger Stadium earlier that night saw the group loading a black pickup truck with cases of beer.
Tilotta was arrested on a count of single burglary. Officers tracked the pickup from the Spruce Hall parking lot and discovered that he was the owner of the vehicle. With the consent to search his dorm room, police found the missing beer cases. He admitted the crime and that approximately $1,500 worth of beer was taken.
College kids don't usually make the smartest decisions, but it was a bold move considering there are cameras all over the stadium. It obviously did not work out.
Although the program had a few down years after LSU's fourth national championship in 2019, with a team that may be the greatest in college football history, LSU had a bounceback season in 2022. The Tigers upset No. 7 Ole Miss and No. 6 Alabama before trouncing Purdue 63-7 to finish 10-4 and ranked 16th.
Why is LSU's Tiger Stadium called "Death Valley"?
Many opposing coaches and fan surveys have called LSU's Tiger Stadium the most difficult to play in college football. Its architecture helps in becoming a loud place for opponents. Plus, LSU is usually a strong football team which only makes things difficult. The school also has a mystique of playing at night, with legendary tailgating, filled with Cajun food, creating an amazing gameday atmosphere.
The NCAA ranked Tiger Stadium as the loudest in college football in 2013. With 102,321 at capacity, it's the eighth-largest open stadium in the world. Imagine that many people screaming at you while you try to run a third-down play. Ohio State, on its first series in 1987, asked the officials to help quiet the crowd. A touchdown catch that beat Auburn led to a celebration that registered on an on-campus seismograph, and the upset victory is known as the "Earthquake Game."
The Tigers have played in the stadium since 1924. It was also the home for the New Orleans Saints in 2005, when the Superdome was unavailable for football following Hurricane Karina.
Alabama's iconic coach Bear Bryant once referred to Tiger Stadium as "Baton Rouge happens to be the worst place in the world for a visiting team. It's like being inside a drum." No one can escape from Death Valley.