Baltimore Police Urge Parents to Monitor Children's Whereabouts After Mall Incidents

Authorities warn of 'meet-ups' and 'link-ups' leading to unsafe situations for teenagers

Mar. 21, 2026 at 4:05pm

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Baltimore County police are encouraging parents to keep close tabs on their children's activities, especially at local malls, after recent incidents involving large crowds of teenagers. The police cited specific malls like White Marsh Mall, The Avenue at White Marsh, and Towson Town Center that have youth escort policies in place, urging parents to have a plan to get their kids home safely.

Why it matters

These 'meet-ups' or 'link-ups' among teenagers at malls have led to arrests and concerns about public safety, with some shoppers reporting disturbances and theft. The police are trying to get ahead of the issue by proactively warning parents to be more aware of their children's whereabouts to avoid potentially unsafe situations.

The details

Nearly two weeks ago, a 'meet-up' involving a large crowd of teenagers at the White Marsh Mall ended with the arrests of three minors. The Baltimore County Police Department has now posted a message to the public regarding these large gatherings of teenagers, urging parents to monitor their children's activities, especially this weekend when students have a day off from school.

  • Nearly two weeks ago, a 'meet-up' involving a large crowd of teenagers ended with the arrests of three minors at the White Marsh Mall.
  • On Friday, the Baltimore County Police Department posted a message to the public regarding the large gatherings of teenagers, otherwise referred to as 'meet-ups,' 'link-ups' or 'pop-outs' inside malls throughout the county.

The players

Baltimore County Police Department

The law enforcement agency for Baltimore County, Maryland, which is urging parents to monitor their children's whereabouts at local malls.

White Marsh Mall

A shopping mall in White Marsh, Maryland, that has a youth escort policy in place requiring anyone 17 years old or under to be accompanied by a supervising adult 21 years old or older any time after 5 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

The Avenue at White Marsh

An outdoor shopping center in White Marsh, Maryland, that has the same youth escort policy as the White Marsh Mall, applying it daily from open to close.

Towson Town Center

A shopping mall in Towson, Maryland, that requires anyone 17 years old or under to be accompanied by a supervising adult or parent after 4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

John Ideli

A frequent shopper at the White Marsh Mall who believes the mall needs to exert more control over the large crowds of teenagers to prevent fighting and theft.

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What they’re saying

“They need to have some type of control, there's a lot of people coming to the mall right now and they're fighting, they're stealing. They are making it hard for retailers to make profit in their shops, so that needs to be stopped. (The kids) need to have some type of guidance, (the mall) needs to stop them. It has been out of hand.”

— John Ideli, Frequent White Marsh Mall shopper

“I've been coming to this mall for many years. I've never seen any kind of problem or disturbance. These are kids, they need somewhere to go, too, so you've got to give them a little leeway.”

— J.R. Fong, Frequent White Marsh Mall shopper

What’s next

The Baltimore County Police Department did not specify any definite next steps, but the youth escort policies at the malls mentioned will likely continue to be enforced to address the issue of large teenage gatherings.

The takeaway

This incident highlights the challenges faced by local authorities and mall operators in balancing the needs of teenagers for social spaces with maintaining public safety and order. The police are urging parents to be more proactive in monitoring their children's activities to prevent potentially dangerous situations from arising.