Teens take over South Street, looting Walgreens Pharmacy

Maggie Kent Image
Saturday, July 6, 2019
Teens take over South Street, looting Walgreens Pharmacy
Teens take over South Street, looting Walgreens Pharmacy. Watch Maggie Kent's report on Action News at 4:30 p.m. on July 5, 2019.

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Police are searching for a group of teenagers that looted and damaged property inside of a Walgreens store on 18th and South streets Thursday night.

A cashier was injured when he tried to intervene, hit in the head with a glass bottle.

"About 60 juveniles walked into the establishment and began removing things from the shelves, destroying property inside the store. The cashier attempted to intervene and some heavy item - I believe it was a bottle - was thrown at him, striking him in the head," said Captain Sekou Kinebrew of the Philadelphia Police Department.

Before reaching the 1800 block of South Street, teens could be seen on surveillance video stopping traffic, crowding and running along the street.

While most were not misbehaving, some took advantage of the large crowd size.

Myles Burke says as he stood on his balcony at 11th and South and saw teenagers beating a man without reason.

"He was bloodied. He was being punched and kicked. I was standing right over him on my balcony. I was yelling to the police for them to stop it. They were saying they couldn't stop what was going on, there was too much for them to handle," said Burke.

Farther west on South Street, businesses started locking their doors to keep the crowds out.

Then the crowd made it inside Walgreens.

"Between the things that they stole and the property damaged inside, it's between $6,000 and $7,000 in damage," said Captain Kinebrew.

No arrests were made. Police are inspecting surveillance inside the store to identify the actors.

The clerk who was hurt has been treated and released with cuts and bruises to his head.