Meet the 'Wawa Cronies' from Clifton Heights

CLIFTON HEIGHTS, Pa. (WPVI) -- They call themselves the Wawa Cronies.

At the Wawa convenience store at Baltimore and Bishop in Clifton Heights, they hang around in lawn chairs next to the trash cans talking about anything and everything.

"We all have something in common and we're all Patriots. A lot of us are in the military, we just enjoy each other's company," said Mike Taborelli of Aldan. "We talk politics, we try to keep the politics down, we talk everything, we talk politics, we talk."

Tony Rosano, 81, started the Wawa Cronies 15 years ago - just to talk over hoagies, coffee and sodas and maybe help someone in need.

"We do anything we can to help people. If somebody's car doesn't start in the wintertime, things like that just to help out," said Rosano.

Taborelli said they are at the Wawa every night, at least someone from the group is there.

But there was one time in the past, they were not present.

"The one night we weren't here, Wawa got robbed at gunpoint," said Taborelli.

Upper Darby Police Superintendent Michael Chitwood said he hasn't heard any complaints from Wawa or customers and believe the group's presence is a good thing.

"I believe that just from their presence it prevents crimes. So it's a preventive against crime even though its a bunch of guys that use it as a kind of hang out place," said Chitwood.

As for the Wawa Cronies themselves, they say they don't bother anybody. They see this as carrying on a tradition they did when they were just kids.

"We did it as a kid on the corner. I did it in South Philadelphia until my mom dragged me off the corner. So what we do here is pretty much the same thing, hanging on the corner," said Taborelli.