PHILADELPHIA, PA – Philadelphia’s top officials, including the mayor and the police chief, have condemned the recent looting spree by groups of teenagers in the city. Several stores, including an Apple Store, Lululemon, and Foot Locker, were targeted in what appears to be a coordinated effort.
Mayor Jim Kenney expressed his disgust at the criminal activity, which he described as a “sickening display of opportunistic criminal activity.” He vowed that such actions would not be tolerated in the city. The looting, which involved as many as 100 individuals, many of them juveniles, took place over several hours on Tuesday night.
Interim Commissioner John Stanford echoed the mayor’s sentiments, stating that the individuals involved were not protesters but criminals. He referred to them as “a bunch of criminal opportunists” who were exploiting the situation to wreak havoc in the city.
Videos circulating on social media platforms showed individuals wearing masks and hoodies, running into stores, grabbing merchandise, and fleeing the scene. The police reported that by early Wednesday morning, they had arrested between 15 to 20 suspects.
The looting spree occurred after a peaceful protest, which was sparked by a judge’s decision to dismiss charges against a white Philadelphia police officer who had fatally shot a Black resident, Eddie Irizarry. However, Commissioner Stanford clarified that those involved in the looting were not affiliated with the protest.
The looting resulted in extensive damage to several stores. A T-Mobile store had its glass door shattered, and thousands of dollars’ worth of devices and accessories were discarded haphazardly. The Apple store suffered a similar fate, with many items taken and then discarded as the store’s anti-theft equipment rendered the devices useless.
The Philadelphia Police Department is actively investigating these incidents and has made several arrests. The police are also investigating the possibility of a caravan of vehicles moving from location to location during the looting spree.