'It was a mob scene'

TOLEDO, Ohio (WUPW) - After a weekend of several fights that erupted at Westfield Franklin Park Mall in Toledo, store managers and employees said they saw this type of incident brewing.

One mall employee said Monday that it was a mob scene. Hundreds of teens were seen rushing to toward the food court just feet away from his store. He even shut his store's doors to protect customers inside.

"This has been happening for a while," said Mark. "Saturday was an apex for everything that's been happening. Changes need to start happening and happening now."

Mark said managers at various stores here have been asking Westfield Franklin Park management to control the young crowds on weekend evenings.

"It seems to be a babysitting compound now," he said. "Kids get dropped off and all of a sudden then on Saturday it was a mob, an absolute mob."

Hundreds of teens loiter throughout the mall at night driving paying customers away. Mark, who has dealt with the problem, said mall management needs to enforce a curfew for any children under the age of 18 without a parent.

"Something drastic needs to happen and it has to happen now, because it's really driving business down," Mark said.

Westfield Franklin Park management and mall security have denied all interviews but did say that shoppers safety is their No. 1 priority. Franklin Park Mall management urge shoppers to alert security if they ever observe suspicious behavior.

As for the mall's security system, mall management would not comment on specifics. They did mention they have a comprehensive plan in place.