Around 20 teenagers have been arrested and two firearms have been recovered after a group of juveniles broke into shops in the US State of Philadelphia on Tuesday, a report said.
The Philadelphia police launched a crackdown after reports surfaced of rampant looting of stores like Apple Store, Footlocker and Lululemon, among others.
By midnight on Wednesday morning, law enforcement had confirmed the arrest of between 15 to 20 individuals involved in the looting, and they had recovered at least two firearms. Videos shared on social media, including X (formerly known as Twitter), depict scenes of retail stores like Lululemon, the Apple Store, and Footlocker being overrun by hundreds of masked looters, according to Fox News.
Videos of a looted Apple Store, show iPhones and iPads scattered across display tables. Fox News reported that many of the stolen Apple products were eventually abandoned due to their anti-theft features.
According to the police, 15 to 20 individuals have been arrested for the looting. Videos viral on the internet show stores being overrun by mobs. Initial reports of break-ins near Rittenhouse Square began just after 8 pm, shortly after peaceful protesters dispersed from a gathering at City Hall where protesters gathered to demand justice for Eddie Irizarry, who was shot and killed by a Philadelphia police officer last month.
However, senior Philadelphia police officer John Stanford insisted that Irizarry's supporters had nothing to do with Tuesday night's unrest.
