US: Over 100 teens loot stores in Philadelphia, 20 arrested
The Philadelphia Police arrested around 20 individuals after groups of teenagers allegedly ransacked and looted popular stores in the Center City of Philadelphia, United States, on Tuesday, The Associated Press reported. The police reportedly said that the looters barged into an Apple store at around 8:00pm (local time) and took away iPhones and iPads while they chased them away. A Lululemon store was also looted in a similar manner by over 100 teenagers, said a police officer, per NBC10 Philadelphia.
Why does this story matter?
The loot started soon after peaceful protests against a court ruling that exonerated a former Philadelphia Police officer, Mark Dial, of all charges in the fatal shooting of 27-year-old Eddie Irizarry on August 14, according to CNN. However, the looters had nothing to do with the protests or were in any way associated with the case, according to the Philadelphia Police Commissioner. He said that they were only "opportunists" out to rob.
Teenagers used social media to coordinate raids: Reports
Per the Philadelphia Inquirer, several videos of the loot went viral on social media, showing masked people in hoodies running out of Lululemon and police grabbing several and tackling them on the ground. It said no injuries were immediately reported. However, CBS Philadelphia reported that a security guard was assaulted at the Foot Locker. According to reports, many of those arrested were young people who appeared to have used social media to coordinate the raids.
Watch: Visuals in aftermath of loot
Thefts occurred when Target announced closure of its stores
Notably, the incident occurred on the same day Target announced the closure of nine stores across four states, including one in New York City's East Harlem neighborhood and three in the San Francisco Bay Area. The company said that theft and organized crime threatened the safety of its workers and customers. Shoplifting has been on the rise in the US in recent months. In August, a mob of 30 people ransacked and looted a Nordstrom department store in Los Angeles.
