WATCH: 8 PA Teens Steal $2K Sporting Goods While In Florida For Football Tournament

By Jillian Pikora From Daily Voice

Eight Pennsylvania teens in Florida for a youth football championship were arrested after a coordinated retail theft at Dick’s Sporting Goods, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd announced on Monday, Dec. 8.

Deputies were called to the Davenport store at approximately 10:55 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 6, after the manager reported multiple juveniles concealing merchandise, according to the release.

The teens were identified as Daimon Johnson, 15, Mark Bryan, 15, Ibn Mahdee Abdul Haqq, 14, Elijah Myers, 14, Tymir Speller, 15, Marcus Hudgens, 15, Tymir Smith, 14, and Jacob Scott, 15. All were in Polk County representing the Philadelphia-based United Thoroughbreds youth football team in the Prolifix Nationals tournament, authorities said.

The group entered Dick’s Sporting Goods in Posner Plaza in two waves, detectives explained. Johnson, Bryan, and Abdul-Haqq first moved through the aisles looking at merchandise. The second group — Hudgens, Myers, Speller, Smith, and Scott — entered moments later. Hudgens bought an item near the front of the store, then met the others in the middle section with his shopping bag, deputies detailed.

Surveillance footage reviewed by investigators shows the group stuffing the bag with high-value apparel and football gear. Johnson, Bryan, and Abdul-Haqq later walked out of the store without paying, passing all points of sale, where deputies immediately detained them, the sheriff’s office said. Abdul-Haqq had additional merchandise hidden in a backpack, and Bryan carried the Dick’s bag holding more than $2,000 in stolen goods. The remaining five teens were detained inside the store, and Speller was found with a concealed beanie, investigators said.

The total value of stolen merchandise was confirmed as $2,296.07, deputies said.

All eight suspects declined to provide statements and have no prior arrests, according to the Philadelphia Juvenile Justice Services Center.

Their coach, Raekwon Bynes, 29, of Philadelphia, responded to the scene and confirmed the team was scheduled to play in a championship game later that day. Parents were notified, deputies said.

The juveniles were transported to the Juvenile Assessment Center and charged with Felony Retail Theft and Felony Conspiracy To Commit Retail Theft. Because of the arrests, they were unable to compete in the championship game, according to the release.

“These juveniles were not from Polk County, they came here from Philly for a football tournament, and instead of representing their team with pride, they chose to steal — they are Thoroughbred thief's,” Sheriff Judd said. “Let this be clear: it doesn’t matter if you’re from here or visiting, if you break the law in Polk County, you will be arrested and held accountable.”