9 teens arrested after social media call for 'takeover' of Green Acres Mall in Valley Stream

Nine teenagers, eight of them juveniles, were arrested Thursday after police said a group of more than 100 youths staged a social media-induced "takeover" of the Green Acres Mall in Valley Stream.

While Nassau County police have not released the identities of those arrested, they said Friday the charges ranged from unlawful assembly to reckless endangerment and criminal mischief — and that almost all were misdemeanors.

One person was charged with second-degree robbery, police said.

However, almost all the offenders will be referred to family court, due to their ages, police said.

The incident is the latest in a series of so-called "takeover" events that appear to be a far cry from the 20th century trend that, beginning as a fad in 1939, saw teens pack phone booths and swallow goldfish.

On Presidents Day, the NYPD made 18 arrests following a similar takeover stunt at Bay Plaza Mall in the Bronx.

And earlier this week the Westchester County police commissioner, Terrance Raynor, issued a warning to parents and their children after police said they’d reached out to area law enforcement partners to monitor the chance of rumored takeover events at the Cross County Mall and other area shopping centers.

In that instance, Raynor warned: "We are asking teens to take our advice about takeovers: do not participate in this kind of activity. You can get hurt, other people can get hurt and you can be subject to arrest. We are also urging parents to speak with their children and advise them to ignore this dangerous ‘challenge’ being presented to youths via social media."

Westchester's public safety department and its Real Time Crime intelligence center are monitoring social media activity regarding planned or rumored takeovers, officials said.

Suffolk County police could not immediately confirm any reported takeover threats being monitored at malls in the county.

Media reports said more than 200 youths participated in the Bay Plaza Mall takeover Monday, but the NYPD told Newsday on Friday that the number of participants could not be verified.

But police said that a series of 911 calls received just after 2 p.m. Monday reported the disturbance at the mall at 200 Baychester Ave. and said responding officers "observed a large group of disorderly youths" inside the mall. An NYPD spokesman said "multiple warnings were issued to disperse, then multiple offenders were taken into custody."

The NYPD said of the 18 arrested, 17 were juveniles, ranging in age from 13 to 16. The one adult arrested is 19.

Charges in the Bronx case included unlawful assembly and intent to riot, police said. All were misdemeanor counts, and all but one of the cases was referred to family court.

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com

John Valenti, a Newsday reporter since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press, Society of the Silurians and National Headliner Awards for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing. He is the author of “Swee'pea,” about New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. His debut crime novel, “For Nothing Is Hidden,” rooted in 1950s Long Island, was released in October 2025.