During the night of September 26 into September 27, 2023, a group of teenagers carried out a string of robberies in central Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The incidents included the city’s Apple Store, among several other retailers, according to reports in the Daily Mail.
Philadelphia police stated that roughly a hundred youths participated in the looting activity. The crowd approached stores wearing hoodies and masks commonly associated with Halloween, and some individuals were armed. As a result of the disturbances, nearly twenty juvenile offenders had been detained by law enforcement at the time of the initial reports. The encounters appeared coordinated and targeted several commercial locations.
Among the stores affected were Lululemon, Foot Locker, and the Apple Store. Looters reportedly took newly released iPhones and other electronic devices from the Apple Store, with videos circulating on social media showing individuals entering the showroom, bypassing staff and customers, removing devices from display shelves, and concealing them rapidly.
One of the individuals detained by police was a girl identified as Daijah Blackwell, who was livestreaming from the streets as the chaos unfolded. Authorities have not released details about the specific charges she or others facing at that time. The incident drew attention on social media as footage circulated showing the scale of the disruption.
Separately, reports indicated that some shoppers had gathered in anticipation of popular device releases, contributing to heightened tensions in the wake of the events. Investigators continued to assess the sequence of events, determine the roles of participants, and pursue additional leads as necessary to ensure accountability and public safety.