MCKEES ROCKS, Pa. — The McKees Rocks Police Department is weighing in on “teen takeovers” that are popping up around the country.
In a post shared to social media on Friday, the department said they have received multiple reports of large groups of juveniles gathering at vacant properties. Officers reported that they will encounter around 30-50 kids when they arrive and said they all run inside when officers arrive.
The department stressed that some of the properties where this is happening are unsafe.
“Understand, some of the properties in this town are slated for demolition, have been deemed unsafe, collapse hazards and or generally hazardous, not to mention it is still a crime to break into a structure. We do not want to see any person get hurt or injured inside a dilapidated property,” the department’s post said.
The police department added that the unsanctioned parties and illegal parties included young residents and non-residents.
“Unfortunately, a lot of these parties lead to violence and criminal activity,” the department’s post said.
Anyone who wishes to organize a party or gathering is encouraged to get a permit and legal permission from the borough, whom officers said will be happy to give them out.
“It is not the goal of the McKees Rocks Police Department to arrest every young person with nothing to do. We are advising against criminality. We are advising criminality will alway be met by law enforcement in this community. But more importantly, we are urging our youth to make the best decisions and not to engage in illegal activity such as criminal trespass or burglary,” the department said.
Pittsburgh has also been dealing with challenges brought on by the reported “teen takeovers.” Click here to learn about the most recent responses from city officials.
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