XPost: alt.politics.conservative, alt.politics.democrats, dc.politics   
   XPost: soc.culture.african.american   
   From: rkoch@banmlkday.com   
      
   https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2023/09/27/ap23270581380063_cus   
   tom-b69eccc88a5c96ee04120d8ff1f935dd69877ed8-s800-c85.webp   
      
   Shown is the aftermath of a ransacked liquor store in   
   Philadelphia on Wednesday.   
   Matt Rourke/AP   
      
   Authorities in Philadelphia have charged 72 people for allegedly   
   ransacking businesses in multiple neighborhoods across the city   
   last week.   
      
   Images and videos shared by police and posted on social media   
   showed perpetrators bursting into stores in large numbers on   
   Tuesday and Wednesday and quickly fleeing with stolen   
   merchandise.   
      
   Prosecutors said Monday that 67 adults and five juveniles face   
   charges from criminal mischief to conspiracy and felony burglary.   
      
   According to Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, only   
   a few of those arrested are underage but a "very large number"   
   are between the ages of 18 and 25.   
      
   "In general, what we are seeing is that most of them have no   
   criminal record or a minimal criminal record," Krasner said.   
   "But that isn't all of them. There certainly are some people in   
   this group who are much more concerning than others."   
      
   Authorities said they expect to charge more people in the coming   
   days.   
      
   The unrest began Tuesday evening shortly after a peaceful   
   protest over a judge's decision to drop all charges against a   
   Philadelphia police officer who shot and killed a driver last   
   month.   
      
   Interim Police Commissioner John M. Stanford Jr. stressed that   
   the incidents were not connected with the protest: "What we had   
   tonight was a bunch of criminal opportunists take advantage of a   
   situation and make an attempt to destroy our city," he said in a   
   press conference Tuesday night.   
      
   On Wednesday, the police department said it would have an   
   increased presence throughout the city and warned that officers   
   were "ready to make more" arrests.   
      
      
   Philadelphia Police Department   
   @PhillyPolice   
   ·   
   Follow   
   Due to last night's events, @phillypolice will have an increased   
   presence throughout the city. We made dozens of arrests last   
   night (with more to come), and we're ready to make more. Please   
   call 911 if you are aware of any ongoing criminal activity.   
   #SeeSomethingSaySomething   
   2:13 PM · Sep 27, 2023   
      
   Video on social media showed thieves breaking into an Apple   
   Store, and groups also stole from a Foot Locker, a Lululemon and   
   a liquor store, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported.   
      
   The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board closed all of its retail   
   locations in the area Wednesday "in the interest of employee   
   safety" and pending an assessment of the damage and losses,   
   liquor board spokesperson Shawn M. Kelly told NPR.   
      
   "At least 18 Fine Wine & Good Spirits stores in Philadelphia   
   were looted" on Tuesday night, Kelly said. "Fortunately, no   
   employees were hurt, although some were understandably shaken."   
      
   Philadelphia is the latest city to see dramatic scenes of large-   
   group smash-and-grabs, which have been documented across the   
   country in recent years, though it's unclear whether such crimes   
   are actually increasing.   
      
   Still, retailers have been raising the alarm on thefts in their   
   businesses. Target said Tuesday that it is closing nine stores   
   in four states, citing theft and organized retail crime, which   
   involves large-scale criminal operations that steal and resell   
   merchandise.   
      
   A National Retail Federation survey estimated that "shrink" —   
   the industry term for losses — amounted to $112.1 billion in   
   2022, up from $93.9 billion in 2021. Those figures are based on   
   self-reported data by businesses and other groups, and also   
   include losses from employee theft, cashier errors, incorrect   
   pricing and more.   
      
   In Philadelphia, Stanford said the thefts began around 8 p.m. in   
   Center City, with a crowd growing to as large as a hundred   
   people.   
      
   Authorities then began to get 911 calls about looting in   
   different neighborhoods, which he believes people had been   
   discussing online. "We were able to link some things on social   
   media and see that there was some chatter about certain   
   locations," Stanford said.   
      
   Several vehicles and a police cruiser were vandalized, and   
   police recovered at least two firearms during the arrests,   
      
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