Debate: should you call security on kids exploring, or just let them be?

I was at the old Galleria in Akron last month and found this group of teens taking photos near the food court. I told them to watch out for loose tiles on the second floor, but then I wondered if I should have told mall security instead... what do you all do when you run into other explorers, do you rat them out or just wave and move on?

3 comments

3 Comments

thomas.tyler24d ago

Oh boy, you're asking the person who once called a mall hotline because a raccoon was in the parking lot. The teens were probably just being curious, not causing trouble. These days it feels like every adult is ready to dial security over spilled soda or loud laughter. Maybe I'm naive, but a friendly warning like you gave usually does the trick. Most kids exploring are just looking for something interesting, not a free pass to demolition. Unless they're swinging from the ceiling fans, I'd say let them be and save security for actual problems.

julia_carter7024d ago

A mall is private property, not a playground for bored teenagers who can't find their own entertainment. Those "curious" kids are still trespassing, and one broken window or vandalized car later, you'll wish you'd called security sooner. Friendly warnings sound nice until you're the one footing the repair bill for someone else's "exploration.

victorb7423d ago

Back when I was down in Columbus at the Polaris mall last spring, I ran into a group of maybe four kids filming each other by the old escalators that are shut down. I just nodded and kept walking, same as you did. Nobody was breaking anything or causing trouble, and @thomas.tyler gets it right that most of these kids are just bored and looking for a cool shot for their social media. Unless they're prying open doors or leaving a mess, I say let them be and mind your own business. Sending security after every curious teen just makes the place feel like a prison instead of a mall.