Dearborn Heights police thwart "teen takeover" at Spirit Festival

Another "teen takeover" attempt ended after multiple agencies converged on Dearborn Heights over the weekend.

The city posted about the incident on social media, declaring teens "picked the wrong city."

It happened just after 10:30 p.m. Saturday at Spirit Festival near the intersection of Ford and Beech Daly roads.

Haidar Koussan, the landlord of Greenland Plaza, says that after the teens left Spirit Festival, they moved over to the shopping mall. He says he's been in the location for 15 years and calls it the most chaotic thing he's ever seen.

"It was the night from hell. Too many teenagers showed up, way too many. If you look at the parking lot and the footage, and some were violent," Koussan said.

The parking lot of Greenland Plaza has been wiped clean of any traces of the so-called teen takeover, but the damage has already been done.

"They ransacked outside. They took stuff without paying. There was no major vandalism, and that's what surprised me," Koussan said.

Surveillance video shared by the business owner shows teens taking watermelons from the bin outside and tossing them into the air.

"Those kids are not criminals. Those kids need mentorship; they need love and support. It's a major problem nationwide, and we should have expected it," Koussan said.

In a statement shared on Facebook by the city, Dearborn Heights Police Chief Michael Guzowski is quoted as saying, "We do not tolerate this behavior in Dearborn Heights. My officers were on top of this from the first moment, and we will continue to respond with the same speed and force every time."

According to Chapter 20 of the city code, minors under the age of 17 are not allowed to loiter, idle, or congregate in public places between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. unless accompanied by a parent or guardian.

"The parents have to do most of the effort, for sure," Koussan said.

The Facebook post mentions that multiple arrests were made and individuals detained. It calls on parents to know where their children are and what they're doing.

The city's ordinance states parents or guardians are held responsible. CBS News Detroit asked what kinds of fines parents or guardians could face, but the city has not answered the question. 

"We need to give them another chance. If those kids are listening, what you did last night was horrible. You deserve another chance," Koussan said.