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Multiple stores were "broken into or (...) ransacked" beginning around 8 p.m., Stanford said. As the night went on, similar incidents were reported along Aramingo Avenue, "and some other spots throughout the city," he added.
Stanford said the incidents were unrelated to the peaceful protest near City Hall related to the police killing of 27-year-old Eddie Irizarry.
"This had nothing to do with the protest," the interim Commissioner said. "What we had tonight was a bunch of criminal opportunists take advantage of a situation and make an attempt to destroy our city."
While the "ransacking" began downtown, Stanford said police believe others across the city took part after seeing "social media chatter."
"We also know that at this point we're investigating that there was possibly a caravan of a number of different vehicles that were going from location to location, and right now we have a couple of those individuals in custody," he said.
The investigation is ongoing and police are reviewing social media video from the scenes, he added.
"We're going to lock them up," Stanford said.
"Thank you to (PPD) for their swift response to disperse crowds and make necessary arrests related to last night’s incidents," Mayor Jim Kenney said in a statement Wednesday morning.
"This was a sickening display of opportunistic criminal activity, and we will not stand for it."
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