Roving gangs of teens have police on alert in Center City
24-hour breaking news, sports, weather, entertainment, and more with coverage from The Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News.
Roving gangs of teens have police on alert in Center City
Police are monitoring large groups of roving teenagers in Center City.
Police said they had been alerted that youths planned to gather in the area in response to a dust up earlier in the week at the food court at the Gallery.
The message for the gathering apprently had been spread via the Internet, police said.
Security guards were posted at every entrance to the Gallery Mall on Market Street and reportedly were not letting anyone under the age of 18 in.
Police reported groups of 100 to 200 teens in the areas of Market Street, Sansom Street, Chestnut Street and Broad Street starting around 2 p.m..
One woman who was Christmas shopping reported she had been punched in the face by a girl after she found herself in the midst of 70 to 100 youths on Market Street. The blow bruised her face and knocked out a lens to her sunglasses.
Police have set up a command center at the Gallery.
Six police vehicles responded to a Wendy's on 15th and Chestnut when a call came that there were 100 teens inside. The officers dispersed the group.
In the midst of the confusion, a man robbed a bank at 18th and Market Streets about 2 p.m.
Read more breaking news in our From The Source blog.
Jeesh, this city is spiraling down quick. They better work on getting some jobs in this area for poverished people or its going to get worst and continue to spread like a virus. Teenagers...soooo annoying— workngirl- South Philly High must of got out early today????— Dadair1
- knock down the Gallery, build a parking garage— dragoon6
Comment removed.- Send in the State Police on horseback.— rcthompson
- We did similar stuff in the suburbs when school was out...including vandalism but minus the assault...except now they have the internet to organize larger-scale "event" pranks. I'd say the punch and the robbery were both isolated incidents and the gatherings are nothing more than kids being annoying a-holes.— FMT
- hey NeverSunnylet's guess what color you are!— eicholson
- What does "monitoring" mean? How about we try breaking the crowds up and dispersing them?? This will be a rotten commute home.— nephillygirl
- Amish punks from out of town I bet.— mark2004a1
- Amish punks from out of town I bet.— mark2004a1
- Yeah - they're just little darlings having innocent kiddie fun that we all did at that agae - like attacking people on the street for no reason, looting, and beating people to death on the subway to impress their friends. Coddle criminals and they commit crime again. Punish them hard and they will realize their actions have negative consequences. Makes too much sense for this city though.— rstone
- Animals. Plain and simple.— BarbaraPhila
- Once again, here come the buttheads with their comments...— Jerryiz
this problem is underpublicized- I personally witnessed these mobs the evening of the july 4th fireworks. Jobs won't help. Parenting might. Bottom line, the city is no longer safe - you can be a victim at any time. So get a gun, a carry permit and protect yourself.- What a way to show your Christmas spirit.— tl8125
