ATLANTA — Several business owners along Peachtree Street in midtown say they are fed up with a group of teens they say are terrorizing their stores.
Channel 2's Michael Seiden obtained cellphone video from one of the businesses that shows the teens in action, accused of stealing food, vandalizing their businesses and threatening employees.
Seiden had just finished his interview Friday night with the general manager of a Jimmy John's when Channel 2 photojournalist Brandon Bryant recognized the kids from the smartphone video.
So Seiden questioned them about the allegations.
“They were saying that you guys go in there and knock stuff over. I mean that's their story," Seiden asked one of the teens.
“That's stereotyping," he replied.
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Seiden pressed them some more, but they ignored his questions.
“I just come down here to chill. I’m a grown man and I drink. There’s a lot of places you can go and have fun at in Midtown,” one of the teens said.
According to several witnesses Seiden spoke with, the teens have been riding around town on electric scooters, terrorizing numerous businesses along Peachtree Street in midtown Atlanta for weeks.
“They knocked gift cards on the floor. They’re splattered all over the floor. I don’t think my managers and employees should have to deal with that,” said Romel Nilus, who is the general manager of a Jimmy Johns sandwich restaurant. “Doesn’t matter what we say. If we say anything, they start yelling, cursing or knock stuff off the counter."
One of the Nilus' employees shared smartphone video with Seiden that was recorded Tuesday.
This clip shows one of the teens grabbing food off the shelves while another teen can be heard cursing at employees while exiting the restaurant.
"We pretty much have them on lock now, where they barely make it in the door now," Nilus said.
Seiden heard similar complaints from the manager of Fresh 2 Order.
“They have a flier for a fake basketball team to try and get people to donate. I don’t know if people donate or not. I think it’s just a scam to make money,” Fresh 2 Order manager Mark Fletcher said.
Atlanta police tell us they're investigating the neighborhood nuisance.
“It is kind of sad," Fletcher said.
Channel 2 Action News is not identifying the teens, because they have not been charged with a crime at this point.
Police have made it clear to Seiden that they are taking these incidents seriously
Cox Media Group
