Large Disturbance At Cherry Hill Mall Leads To 5 Arrests: Police

CHERRY HILL, NJ — Five juveniles were arrested on charges ranging from disorderly conduct to resisting arrest following a large disturbance at the Cherry Hill Mall.

Police were called to the mall at about 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 26, and found between 700 and 1,000 juveniles near the JC Penney wing, the Cherry Hill Police Department said on Thursday.

The five juveniles, including one from Cherry Hill and four from Camden, were arrested while police dispersed the crowd.

There was no indication that the teens organized the large gathering, according to nj.com. There was an announcement that anyone who was under the age of 18 had to leave the mall.

Due to the large police presence on location no injuries or property damage were reported, police said.

However, some people did appear to throw punches and some were trampled, according to NBC 10. Videos posted online appeared to show merchants lowering their security gates, locking some shoppers inside their stores.

Police previous warned residents against leaving juveniles unattended at the mall.

"The day after Christmas is one of the busiest shopping days of the season," the Cherry Hill Police Department said in an online post. "Over the last few years malls nationwide have seen an increase in the number of unattended juveniles that are dropped off at retail shopping centers creating disturbances and engaging in criminal behavior."

Although the Cherry Hill Mall does not enforce a parental escort policy, there is a code of conduct that must be followed, they said. Anyone acting inappropriately will be asked to leave. Cherry Hill police officers will be patrolling the parking lots and the mall interior, as well as other shopping centers during the holidays.

"The police will not tolerate juveniles acting in a disruptive manner," Cherry Hill police said. "Juveniles not acting responsibly will be escorted from the property and their parents will be called to the police station to pick them up. Those engaging in criminal behavior will be arrested and prosecuted."

Patch file photo