USA Today: 'Flash mobs' pose challenge to police tactics

Armed with cellphones and connected through Facebook, bands of young people have been rushing into stores to steal goods or assaulting bystanders in a spate of recent "flash mob" incidents across the USA.

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How best to combat the technology-connected crimes — and how far police agencies should reach into private online and mobile phone access — are at the core of a growing debate among police officials, city leaders and civil rights activists. Everyone agrees: It's uncharted territory for law enforcement.

"You're looking at an emerging form of crime," says Sean Varano, a criminologist at Roger Williams University in Bristol, R.I. "We don't know what power these police agencies have to monitor these websites or where do reasonable expectations of privacy start. "

A recent survey of 106 retailers nationwide by the National Retailer Federation showed that 80% had experienced multiple-offender crimes in the past six months and one in 10 had been hit by a criminal flash mob, says Joseph LaRocca, a senior adviser with the group.