A teen girl is accused of kicking and biting police officers as they arrested her and four other teen girls for allegedly stealing from a sporting goods store in Abington Township, Pennsylvania.
On Saturday, May 18, shortly before 7:30 p.m., Abington Police responded to the Dick’s Sporting Goods on 2514 Moreland Road in the town’s Willow Grove section for a reported theft in progress. When police arrived, store employees said they spotted five teen girls stealing merchandise and placing them in bags.
"Dick's Sporting Goods has store security," Abington Police Chief Patrick Molloy said. "They observed five females working together, selecting items and concealing them in bags without making any effort to stop at the register to pay for them."
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Police confronted the girls as they attempted to leave the store in an incident that was captured on body camera video, officials said.
"When an officer is in full uniform and we receive information about the reasonable suspicion or even probable cause that a crime may have been committed, we do have the authority to stop you to identify you and subsequently search you," Chief Molloy said.
One of the girls, identified as 18-year-old Sani Reed of Philadelphia, was in possession of the stolen items, according to the criminal complaint. As the officers tried to take her into custody, Reed resisted and tried to pull away, according to investigators.
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The officers took Reed to the ground and tried to gain control of her hands as the teen continued to resist, police said. Reed allegedly flailed her body, kicked an officer and bit two of the officers, breaking skin. She also slipped out of her handcuffs twice before the officers finally placed her in custody, according to the criminal complaint.
Police recovered 54 stolen items with a total value of $1,899 from the teen girls, investigators said.
Both of the officers who were bitten required medical attention at the hospital, according to the criminal complaint.
Reed is charged with aggravated assault, escape, retail theft, receiving stolen property, resisting arrest, simple assault and harassment. She’s currently out on unsecured bail. The four other teen girls were charged as juveniles with theft.
Chief Molloy told NBC10 retail theft is a growing problem and a gateway to other crimes.
"People are more willing to resist and fight with police officers or challenge our authority," he said.
Online court records don't list any specific legal representation for Reed.
