Shoplifting flash mob wanted by police

FEDERAL WAY, Wash. — Federal Way police are looking for a group of about 40 teenagers who stormed a Shell Station in Federal Way Sunday around 12:30 a.m.

"It's pretty bad. I don't know, when 30, 40 people come into the store I don’t think even cops can do anything right away," said Ranji Rai, who owns the store.  He said his clerk was alone at the time and couldn't do anything to stop the crowd.

The clerk, Sukhvinder Singh, at first tried to stop the teens at the door but they pushed through.  Then Singh tried to grab one of the teenagers' jackets, but another teen threw a soda at him and just missed.

According to Federal Way police another group of teens targeted a 7-Eleven store about a mile away, only an hour and a half after they stormed the Shell Station.

In that case, the store owner said a group of about 15 teenagers stole bottles of wine and beer.

We showed Rai surveillance video from the second swarm of shoplifters at the 7-Eleven.

He said that he believes they were the same teenagers who visited his store.

Rai also said a mob of teens targeted his store a few weeks ago. He said he saw them getting away on a Metro bus.

"They are just starting these crimes, and when they grow up they will do robberies and it's bad for our community," said Rai.

He asked us to put the surveillance video on KIRO 7 and wants the teenagers' parents to see what their kids are doing.

"I want somebody to see them, their parents, or friends or cops so those people are going to get caught," Rai said.

None of the teens appeared to have weapons in either incident.

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