Chaos, unrest grip Philadelphia after frenzied mob loots stores, liquor shops; 50 arrested

At least 50 people were arrested after a frenzy-filled night in Philadelphia which saw scores of shops being looted and vandalised.

The mob-style ransacking of stores began on Tuesday night after a protest against a judge’s decision to overturn murder and other charges against a Philadelphia police officer who shot and killed a driver.

At least a dozen stores including Foot Locker, Lululemon and Apple were vandalised, with people seen decamping with merchandise.

Several clips of the incident went viral on social media purportedly showing masked people in hoodies running out of Lululemon with merchandise and police officers grabbing several of them and tackling them to the sidewalk.

Robbery linked to protests?

Jane Roh, spokesperson for the Philadelphia district attorney's office, on Wednesday said that at least 30 people have been booked for burglary, theft and other counts, while 52 have been arrested.

“Those doing the ransacking were not affiliated with the protest,” Interim Police Commissioner John Stanford said at a news conference, calling the group "a bunch of criminal opportunists."

"What we had tonight was a bunch of criminal opportunists taking advantage of a situation and make an attempt to destroy our city," the commissioner said.

"It's not going to be tolerated, we've made arrests and we will continue to make arrests," he added.

Liquor shops ransacked

Later, the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board chose to close all 48 of its Philadelphia retail locations and one in suburban Cheltenham on Wednesday after at least 18 state-run liquor stores were broken into.

No employees were hurt Tuesday night, but "some were understandably shaken," said liquor board spokesperson Shawn Kelly.

The stores were "closed in the interest of employee safety and while we assess the damage and loss that occurred. We will reopen stores when it is safe to do so and when the damage is repaired," Kelly said.

The theft wasn’t limited to branded stores and liquor shops, as many people in north-eastern Philadelphia also reported their cars being stolen.

Police said seven cars were stolen from a lot in the northeast, of which one had been recovered as of Wednesday afternoon.

The unruly scenes in Philadelphia reminded many of the brazen smash-and-grab thefts elsewhere, particularly in the San Francisco Bay Area, where organised groups of thieves, some carrying crowbars and hammers, have systematically targeted high-end stores.

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