Early on Thursday morning, just after 4 a.m., five teenagers from the Washington-area basketball circuit were caught on camera inside a 7-Eleven in Polk County, Florida, where they allegedly lifted snacks and drinks worth less than $40.
The stolen items included Doritos, gummies, Starbursts, sausage, lemonade and Slurpees, according to investigators who reviewed the store's surveillance footage.
When a store employee confronted the group, the teens fled the premises, later discarding the merchandise in a nearby bush where deputies recovered it from a backpack.
Sheriff's deputies quickly located three of the five youths and, after questioning, placed them under arrest. Each faces charges of conspiracy to commit retail theft, tampering with evidence, petit theft and a juvenile curfew violation.
The coach of the team, Malik Harvey, was also taken into custody. Authorities say Harvey refused to identify two remaining suspects and arranged an Uber ride that transported the teenagers to an Airbnb without any adult supervision before the theft occurred.
Harvey now faces a separate set of allegations, including child neglect, resisting without violence, accessory after the fact and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
Community Reaction and Policy Implications
The incident has sparked discussion among local officials about the enforcement of juvenile curfew ordinances and the responsibilities of adult supervisors in youth sports programs, with the Polk County Sheriff's Office emphasizing the need for vigilance and accountability.