Police: Suspects Rob Teens at Rec Center

PHILADELPHIA (WTXF) Police say two suspects armed with hand guns walked up to teens outside the Shepard Rec Center at 57th and Haverford and robbed them of a hoverboard, an iPhone and their backpacks.

The robbery comes as the hoverboard craze is sweeping the country. In this case, the rec center's surveillance cameras caught the hoverboard theft on video as the startled teenage victims ran for safety and the gun-toting suspects walked away with their hoverboard.

Terrell Cleveland was playing basketball at the center Wednesday afternoon with his girlfriend's two young sons and he was stunned to hear about the hoverboard robbery. He's worried about kids.

"It's horrible. It's not good for people in this environment. It's for kids playing football, basketball. All sports," he told FOX 29.

Just last week, a 16- year-old boy riding a hoverboard on North 19th Street was approached by three teens on bikes. Police say one suspect punched the teen and knocked him off the hoverboard. The robbers then took off with it, according to police.

Hoverboard thefts have been popping up all over the country. In Atlanta, a 16-year-old girl was shot in an attempt to steal her hoverboard. A 9-year-old boy riding a hoverboard was also robbed at gunpoint. Investigators say like any other fad item on the market, if they're that popular, thieves will target them.