Youth accused of crimes around South Street

Several incidents of crime occurred this past weekend involving a group of 12- to 17-year-old youths congregating around South Street.

According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, teenagers hijacked a taxi Sunday morning at 12th and South streets after getting into a confrontation with the driver and proceeded to drive the vehicle into a tree at 12th and Fitzwater streets, injuring two passengers.

Teenagers last weekend also vandalized a Sunoco convenience store at Broad and Catharine streets, Lieutenant Frank Vanore, spokesperson for the Philadelphia Police Deparment, told The Inquirer.

In another incident of mayhem created by teenagers last weekend, a woman was assaulted and her purse was stolen, Vanore said.

While none of the children were arrested for the more violent episodes, Vanore said the midnight curfews for the minors were enforced by the police.

There have been occurrences of violence around South Street over the years, but they were not associated with youth, according to Vice President of Penn’s Division of Public Safety Maureen Rush.

And although this is the first incident of teenage violence in the South Street environs, there have been other recent weekends in which large numbers of adolescents have gathered on the streets.

“South Street has always been a large place to congregate,” Rush said.

Additionally, during the spring semester, there were weekends in which large crowds of teenagers gathered around 40th Street near Penn’s campus.

Unlike the large groups downtown last weekend, Rush said the crowds on 40th Street were not violent — rather, people were just having a good time.

Because there were low numbers of kids hanging out around 40th Street last weekend, Rush and Vanore said it is possible, but not definitive, that the gatherings have consisted of some of the same people.

“Obviously, the kids are moving around the city,” Rush said.

Vanore added that the crowds around 40th Street are “part of the same pattern.”

The size of the crowds has become “overwhelming” recently in part because social networking sites and other technological developments have made communication easier, according to Vanore.

Now, people “don’t have to make 50 phone calls” to reach a great number of their friends, Vanore said.

Rush said DPS and the Philadelphia Police are working on figuring out how to handle the role of technology in incidents such as this South Street rampage.

In reaction to last weekend’s activities, Vanore said the Philadelphia Police will increase their enforcement in the South Street area this weekend.

He added that the police officers are asking parents to make sure they know where their children are going at night.

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