Silver Spring Flash Mob: Police Estimated Nearly 50 Teens Rob Maryland 7-Eleven (VIDEO)

Police in Maryland investigating a mass shoplifting have released stunning footage of an estimated 50 teenagers ransacking a Silver Spring 7-Eleven location.

Officers who responded to the call around 11:20 p.m on Saturday said that young people congregated in surrounding parking lots quickly scattered upon seeing the police vehicles, NBC Washington reports.

The alleged shoplifters took items such as beverages and snacks, according to WXYZ.

Police said that they stopped six people -- each between the ages of 16 and 18 -- and found that all had food or drinks, but no receipts.

In August, police encountered a similar incident at a Germantown, Md., 7-Eleven involving nearly two-dozen teenagers simultaneously robbing a convenience store around 1:30 a.m., according to the Germantown Patch.

That incident, along with spiking gang violence among the local youth, added to discussion surrounding legislation proposed by Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett to enact a youth curfew barring anyone under the age of 17 from public spaces between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. The curfew has earned mixed responses, with some criticizing it as misplaced problem solving efforts and a violation of children's rights.

WATCH: Police footage of the latest flash mob incident:

Comments

[Reymundo Ruiz]

12:22 PM on 11/28/2011

black/white/green/yellow... THEFT IS THEFT. race has nothing to do with it.

[Reymundo Ruiz]

12:14 PM on 11/28/2011

Where is LT John Pike when you NEED him??

[zevon]

09:42 AM on 11/27/2011

And to think that "flash mobs" were initially started to have a bit of spontaneous fun and quirky behavior that didn't involve any criminal behavior.

[ickymcpooh]

10:26 AM on 11/25/2011

What a bunch of brats.If my kid done some stuff like that I would whoop her from one end of that parking lot to the other.

[bagelmart]

07:08 AM on 11/25/2011

Many also lined up to pay.

[SenthilTalks]

08:54 PM on 11/24/2011

Before you pass judgement, read the full story or wait till the full story emerges. Did you see they only took Juices and snacks. Apparently they were in party and someone told them it is all paid for.... just something I read on the web. Yes they are stupid in any case but stop passing stupid comments.

[jt3151]

10:28 AM on 04/10/2012

Wow , are you really that naive?

[KarasudaJay]

02:19 PM on 11/24/2011

They're just acting on the values of their community. Blame their parents first, if you can find them.

[kencrn419]

12:12 PM on 11/24/2011

Thank God I don't have to live near those people.

[kingjohn1956]

12:00 PM on 11/24/2011

I come from a single parent home,my mom worked very hard as a nurse to put my siblings an I thru college.I feel that everything that i do in life reflect's back on the way she raised me.And it is my love an respect for what she did that kept me from ever doing such things as these lost kids are doing.

[mebemommee06]

12:14 PM on 11/24/2011

excuse me. just because you didn't like my comment, well I could care less, because I am right, and I know it. and its good you turned out better, those thugs parents should follow your mothers example..

[BrianMac]

10:29 PM on 11/23/2011

I bet most people would be surprised to learn that many of these kids come from middle- to upper-income families and they're doing this on a dare. To them, it's fun and thrilling.

[nt2bfckwth]

07:37 PM on 11/23/2011

What the F@ck does Obama halft to do with it, dumb as kids is dumb as kids black or white, asian, or hispanic, , and the comments from some of you predigest as@holes,is mean and nasty, Why is racism so alive in America and the UK, admit it white people is so hatefu and not accepting, to others race, Yes those teenagers are dead wrong, and I hope their mothers see this and punish them to the fullist, but not all black folkes is that way. it is irritating,that white people kill and do the same damn thing its just not reported, like the columbine incident, white people lets not forget.Bush stole from the public in broad daylight, what do you halft to say about that. DUMB F@cks.

[Michael Steaphens]

03:22 AM on 11/24/2011

I saw no mention of Obama in the story.I agree,dumb kids are dumb,no matter the race.But I disagree with you when you say white people are racist.There are racist white people,just as there are racists within all races.

[thebearclaw007]

05:22 PM on 11/23/2011

The curfew has earned mixed responses, with some criticizing it as misplaced problem solving efforts and a violation of children's rights.

See what outsourcing American jobs have led to, but of course this will probably not lead to the creation of more jobs, but only to the creation of more prisons for young people. Talk about misplaced problem solving.

[websww]

02:28 PM on 11/23/2011

And after this they went home to their tax payer subsidized homes, ate some food bought with their tax payer subsidized food stamps, watched their stolen big screen LCD TV, turned on the heat paid for with tax payer subsidized utilities, watch TV until the morning when they head off to the unemployment office to get tax payer subsidized unemployment checks.......(I can go on and on, but you get the idea)

[thebearclaw007]

05:25 PM on 11/23/2011

Hey, that's the way racists want it to be so they can continue to feel superior to others. What delusion.

[TdeyoMN]

03:36 PM on 11/25/2011

Yeah and the kids from the suburbs went to their friends' house to smoke meth and steal prescription meds from their moms who are on anti-depressants...not to mention that their father has a secret life as a pedophile to young boys...Get a life dude.

[rbcarter]

01:31 PM on 11/23/2011

This is group shoplifting, not a flash mob. Flash mobs are not criminal acts: http://bit.ly/oz4Qwb. Referring to these multiple offender crimes as "flash mobs" hurts the reputation of the real flash mob community. I organize flash mobs with Improv AZ and we're always careful to look up the laws in advance to make sure that everything we do is legal.

[thebearclaw007]

05:26 PM on 11/23/2011

As if laws have been just for these young people, get a clue.

[kingjohn1956]

11:06 AM on 11/24/2011

What comment are you replying to? It can't be rbcarter cause i see nothing wrong with what he said.This was not a Flash mob it was just a mob stealing things just for the sake of stealing.

[firstamendment3]

10:46 AM on 11/23/2011

If big business did not rule America, 7-Eleven would be charged with robbery.

[Michael Steaphens]

03:23 AM on 11/24/2011

Why,is 7-11 holding a gun to your hard?Nobody's being forced to shop there.

[firstamendment3]

08:47 AM on 11/24/2011

I don't shop there. I also don't go to "bad" neighborhoods either but I am concerned about the crime there for the safety of others. Your lack of care of humanity leads me to conclude that you own a 7-11 franchise?