Teens act up, slip away from cops at FNOW

So what are the particulars involved in the town’s warning about Friday Night On White?
How about “a kid was hanging off the roof behind one of the businesses around Domino’s,” as Town Manager Kip Padgett put it in an email about his meeting this week with members of the Wake Forest Area Chamber of Commerce.
There definitely was a fight in the parking lot at Lumpy’s Ice Cream on Roosevelt Avenue, and the manager there said the teens come in the store and are loud and obnoxious. During the fight, she or the owner called the Wake Forest Police Department – a couple blocks away – and officers arrived 30 minutes later after the group of teens left.
Albert Barneto at the Wake Forest Coffee Company has begun closing at 5 p.m. on FNOW nights because “I don’t have enough staffing” to supervise the teens.
Last year during one FNOW teens went into Shorty’s and, according to another store owner, “. . . the kids destroyed the back room of Shorty’s. Poured ketchup all over the tables; mixed hot sauce, salt, and pepper in with all of the other ketchup bottles; and also left trash everywhere. Other customers couldn’t go back there, and they would not leave when asked.” The Gazette could not reach owner Chris Joyner.
There may not have been a fight in the Wake Forest Town Hall plaza, but there are rumors of one.
Bob Johnson said he has had to deal with graffiti on his downtown buildings after FNOW’s.
Joe Kimray, owner of B&W Hardware said, “Large groups of young teens would just come in, talking very loud while we’re trying to speak with customers, and just generally run around the store. We’ve also had a few issues with stealing. Thankfully, it hasn’t been anything really high in value – but it’s still unacceptable.”
Since August of 2022, Kimray has had a sign at the door saying anyone under 18 has to have a parent or guardian with them to enter.
So, what has the town been doing about the 2022 and 2023 incidents? The Gazette editor asked Bill Crabtree, the Communications and Public Affairs Director, to ask the town police department about the problems. Below is his full report.
“To date, there have not been any juveniles arrested/charged with a crime this year or last during Friday Night on White.
“Rather, officials have noticed more incidents of unruly and inappropriate behavior. As an example, in June, police received a call of about 20 juveniles fighting in the area of S White/Roosevelt. Then, in July, they received a report of juveniles in the 300 block of E Roosevelt Ave causing a disturbance. In both instances, when officers arrived, the groups dispersed and no crimes were observed.
“No incident reports were created for either call, but that’s two months in a row where calls were received regarding large groups of juveniles causing a disturbance.
“Police proactively patrol the downtown area to deter fighting and the commission of crimes to keep everyone safe.
“Large groups of young people are observed throughout the downtown area during Friday Night on White. When police enter an area where young people are assembled, the youth tend to move along. These proactive patrols are believed to be a major reason there hasn’t been any reported crime.
“To date, the reports of damage to property have been smaller things for which the affected businesses do not want to file an official report. For example, one downtown business reported kids spraying ketchup inside the business which the affected business had to clean.
“We are unable to state the percentages of kids that are dropped off, brought to the event with their parents who are in attendance, or live in the area and walked on their own. Police say most of the groups with which they are interacting are younger teens who do not appear to be old enough to drive.”
Ah, like a lot of things, these events are more slippery – just like the teens – than they appear or are reported to be.
But – local parents of young teens need to know where their children are on those Friday nights. If the incidents continue, it may come to the point where the town “might have to explore other options,” as Padgett also said.
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