Teens invite predators with new social media trends
The dangerous new trend has led to multiple cases of teenagers doing their own research to catch predators in the valley, which has been influenced by through social media apps. Lauren Clark of Fox 10 has the latest one.
Phoenix – It’s a surprising and dangerous social media trend for volleyball police.
The teens are investigating themselves to catch predators, and Scottsdale police say there have been two incidents in a week.
In both cases, teens admitted they were influenced by Instagram and Tiktok. Now, officers feel they need to warn their parents before it’s too late.
“Catch a predator”
Scottsdale Police Sergeant Allison Sempis knows that teens engaged in risky behaviour are nothing new, but the new social media trends are almost unparalleled in their risk.
The teens organized their versions to catch predators and met with adults they spoke online to force or arrest them.
“We’re worried that something might happen, and that someone might get hurt,” Sempis says.
Scottsdale police recently investigated two separate cases. For one, Sempis says the teenager encountered suspected predators and demanded money in exchange for not calling the police.
In the other, she says four cars full of teens arrive at the meeting site, causing a high-speed chase with the suspect.
“He took off and the boy started chasing after him, threw a rock out of the window and smashed it before police arrived,” she said.
It’s not just the Scottsdale police. Last month, Surprise Police tackled a similar incident.
“You never know who you’re meeting.”
According to court documents, the teen created a fake profile on a dating site and told an older man she was 14 years old.
The two agreed to meet at McDonald’s Off Grand and Meeker.
The fight broke out and police arrested 59-year-old Gerald Schwickras.
“These things can escalate very quickly,” warns Sempis. “You never know who you are meeting, you never know who they are bringing or what their intentions are.”
In most cases, it does not lead to a successful prosecution.
Sempis warns that in most cases it will not lead to successful prosecution of suspects.
“These cases are very complicated and very detailed, so leave it to the investigators to do these types of interviews and make sure all possible causes are there. Everyone is safe and there are crimes that can be arrested.”
This is an issue that prosecutors at the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office are aware of. They also emphasize that the best course for justice is to warn the police.
Crime and Public Safety Scottdale
