Comments, Blocked Commenting After 15 Minutes, and Then Disappeared All 4, the Link, and Even the Word, “Comments”!
[Previously: “Forty Raceless Philly Teenagers Organized ‘Flash Mob’ Ransacking of Upper Darby, PA, Sears Store via Social Media, Took El Train to Target.”
Originally, the Philly Daily News had a pretty clear picture of three or four suspects gathered together in the store (which I was unable to download before losing the story), but its editors have since replaced it with the video below, which is so unclear as to be worthless, which is surely no accident.]
Posted on Mon, Jun. 27, 2011
At U. Darby Sears, dozens invade & flee with thousands in merchandise
By STEPHANIE FARR
Philadelphia Daily News
farrs@phillynews.com 215-854-4225
DOZENS OF West Philly boys - ranging in age from 11 to 19 - stormed a Sears store in Upper Darby on Thursday as part of a "flash mob" and made off with thousands of dollars' worth of merchandise, police said.
Upper Darby Police Superintendent Michael Chitwood said he believed that the group organized the mass theft through social networking, although the exact networking site was not yet clear.
He said that the kids traveled together on public transportation and arrived at the store on 69th Street en masse about 7:10 p.m.
The kids - Chitwood estimated there were around 40 boys - scattered throughout the store and began to "rob, steal and pillage," he said.
They took everything from sneakers to watches but left behind the boxes and tags, Chitwood said.
As of this weekend, Sears was still trying to tally up its losses, which were believed to be in the thousands of dollars, police said.
Responding officers were able to capture 16 of the suspects, the youngest of which was 11 and the oldest, 19. The 19-year-old was charged with retail theft and corrupting the morals of a minor.
The other 15, all of whom were juveniles from West Philadelphia, were charged with retail theft and released to the custody of their parents, Chitwood said.
"When this mob mentality comes to a community and robs a village, there has to be consequences," he said. "That's the only way you're going to stop this."
Chitwood said that while some of the parents were very upset when they picked their kids up, for some, it seemed just "like part of a day's work."
"People have to realize this is not condoned, funny or cute. It's criminal. Period," Chitwood said. "If you've got an 11-year-old involved in this type of mob mentality, what are they going to be doing when they are 16?"
Comments
(Update, 7 p.m., on Monday, June 27, 2011: Do the censors at the Philadelphia Daily News expect readers to believe that no one posted comments after 5:27 a.m. today? They even shut down the voting software!
Update, 7:11 p.m.: The censors have now removed the lousy four comments below that they had earlier permitted through the blockade, and even removed the word “comments,” and any links for readers to comment.)
Posted 5:12 AM, 06/27/2011
The NAACP will be investigating Philly.com's use of the word "boys" as they consider it a racial slur to the young men of color who are pictured shopping.
— HappyBob
Posted 5:25 AM, 06/27/2011
Boy? I know you didn't call me boy. You must have said LeRoy, jOY OR mCcOY, but I know you didn't call me boy....
— AndyBrown
Posted 5:25 AM, 06/27/2011
Ah, summer! Fireflies, barbecues, and mobs of black youth pillaging and assaulting.
— BurbGuy
Posted 5:27 AM, 06/27/2011
The silent alarm went off and security cameras automatically re-positioned as soon as they walked through the doors.
— EscapedfromOz
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