A flash mob has Montgomery County's executive reinforcing a plan to crack down on unruly teenagers.

Continue reading

A video of dozens of teens ransacking a Germantown 7-Eleven and stealing hundreds of dollars in merchandise may fuel a plan to add a curfew.

"I think there should be a curfew,” Bernie Beale said. “We do need a curfew.”

County Executive Ike Leggett is describing the flash mob as a cautionary tale and pushing for his controversial youth curfew.

“The incident, that occurred at 1:47 a.m., serves to illustrate why my recently-proposed overnight curfew for juveniles under 18 years of age could enhance public safety throughout the County,” Leggett said in a statement.

Friday night at the Montgomery County Fair, where thousands of young residents are hanging out, opinions on the curfew are mixed.

"We're old enough,” counters 17-year-old Andrew Grico, who says there’s no need for a county law.

"I think it would still happen,” said parent Mark Grico.

After a string of similar flash mob scenes and youth violence, cities like Philadelphia and Kansas City enacted 9 p.m. curfews. Leggett's legislation for the county's first curfew remains snagged by the council.