"What they do is they see somebody they believe is homeless, they go up to them, and they start punching and kicking them, knocking them to the ground and it's all for joy and for fun," Lt. John Walker of the Philadelphia Police said.
According to police, one of those in custody is a 12-year-old girl. She has been charged with aggravated assault, criminal conspiracy, attempted robbery, theft by unlawful taking, receiving stolen property and possession of an instrument of crime.
Police say they are also looking for an 11-year-old boy and a 12-year-old girl who face similar charges.
Police are looking for as many as 15 kids that took part in the attacks, including one on Friday night.
43-year-old Belinda Moore, who is not homeless, was the victim of that latest assault. At around 11:00 p.m., she was was taking a shortcut through a park on her way home from her second job, when she was attacked at 70th Street and Grovers Avenue
"I'm glad to be alive; I really am. I'm able to walk. I'm a little bruised up, but I can still walk," Moore told Action News.
Moore recently lost her own 16-year-old son to asthma, which is something she told her juvenile attackers when she pleaded with them to stop.
Authorities say her attackers ranged in ages from 10 to 15 years old.
Police believe the juveniles are the same suspects that attacked 73-year-old Vince Poppa last Saturday.
Last week, his brother Nick told Action News that Vince was walking home from 7-11 when he was mugged of his social security money and beaten on the sidewalk near the Unico Village Apartments by six young men.
Poppa is said to be off a ventilator and improving at Methodist Hospital.
Debra Rossitor, a friend of Poppa's, was relieved to hear the news of the arrests.
"I'm so happy they rounded up these characters," Rossitor said.
Police call the kids more than characters. They consider them dangerous criminals who deserve to do time for their senseless crimes.
