'Our residents don't deserve this.' Babylon mayor vows to stop teen chaos
Local business owners say the group of teens damage property and taunt people in the area.
Jun 22, 2023, 5:18 PM
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Babylon residents say they are being terrorized by teenagers who keep on destroying property in the village.
Police say teens busted through a fence at the Fairfield Apartments Monday afternoon. It has since been repaired, but neighbors say it is happening over and over again.
One tenant told News 12 off camera that the fence between their buildings has been destroyed 10 times. They say about 15 to 20 high schoolers ride their bicycles through or throw their bodies through the fence.
Local business owners say the group of teens also damage other property and taunt people in the village.
Mulberry Street owner Christos Palouvis says the municipal parking lots surrounding his building have groups of 15 to 40 teenagers every day throughout the summer, harassing customers and employees.
"They break chairs, climb on the roof, curse, scream," Palouvis says.
Residents say it has been happening for years and that the teens come to Babylon from all different communities.
Babylon Village Mayor Mary Adams says if teenagers are caught crowding streets or creating hazards for drivers, Village Code Enforcement will confiscate their bicycles and only return them when they pay a $500 fine and complete community service.
"It is going to be solved, our residents don't deserve this," Adams says.
Suffolk County police say they are aware of the groups and that the first step they take is education. They say officers attempt to identify the teenagers involved, go to their homes and speak to their families.
The village mayor says they are looking into putting a cyclone fence at the Fairfield Apartments so it cannot be destroyed again.
Adams says she is having a meeting with police to discuss additional ways to combat the problems the teens are causing.
