The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office has disclosed that it arrested one teenager and removed 62 other people during a June operation to prevent a “teen takeover” at the Mall at Wellington Green.
A PBSO spokesperson said a teen was wearing a face mask and being “disruptive,” which led to his arrest on June 5 at the mall, the largest retail center in Palm Beach County’s western communities. Authorities did not specify the charges the teen will face.
A flyer posted on TikTok had called for the June 5 teen takeover to start at 2:30 p.m. at the mall, at State Road 7 and Forest Hill Boulevard. However, a rowdy crowd like those seen at other “teen takeovers” nationwide never materialized that day.
Security at the Mall at Wellington Green asked 62 “disruptive” teens to leave the indoor shopping center, with seven receiving trespass warnings, according to the sheriff’s office.
Guards with PSC Security, which serves the mall, were heard asking teens if they had come for the takeover. One officer said small groups were spotted in the food court and near the mall’s main entrance, but none amounting to large numbers.
What is a ‘teen takeover’ and why was Wellington afraid of one?
A teen takeover is a new trend in the U.S. where young people gather in spaces like malls, beaches and parks. The crowds of people that the events draw can number in the hundreds, even passing 1,000.
While most of the takeovers are peaceful if a bit rowdy, some have led to fights and fatalities, raising concerns among parents.
A shooting in Florida, a death in Illinois and multiple arrests in states such as New Hampshire and Virginia pushed many families in the Wellington area to post warnings on social media ahead of June 5.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier in June launched a statewide crackdown on teen takeovers across the state. He said Florida will pursue conspiracy and related charges for people who participate in the events.
“Our prosecutors are stepping into the fight with expertise on organized crime to prevent our streets and businesses from being hijacked by coordinated chaos,” Uthmeier said in a prepared statement. “If you organize these destructive takeovers, we will find you, we will dismantle your network, and we will prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law.”
Valentina Palm covers immigration and West Palm Beach for The Palm Beach Post. Email her at vpalm@pbpost.com and follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, at @ValenPalmB.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Wellington mall ‘teen takeover’ attempt led to 1 arrest, 62 removals
Reporting by Valentina Palm, Palm Beach Post / Palm Beach Post
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Valentina Palm, Palm Beach Post | USA TODAY Network
