Albemarle County Police are releasing more information on a new gang in Albemarle County. The chief of police says Zoo of Goons (ZOG) has an active criminal history. We also have details about where the group operates and how they communicate.
Police say ZOG is up and running on Facebook, making threats to people in the community and other gangs. The group of about a dozen operates in the urban ring of the county along the Route 29 corridor and Albemarle High School. Police Chief Steve Sellers said the Zoo of Goons is responsible for assaults, larcenies, concealed weapons violations and thefts in the area.
Sellers says they're taking the home-grown gang seriously. "These are kids. They're kids that for whatever reason need to have a sense of identity, need to have a sense of status and also need a sense of love and belonging," he said.
ZOG came to the attention of police about six months ago. Police also say about a dozen gangs are currently operating in the Charlottesville / Albemarle area.
ZOG members typically use purple clothes to identify themselves.
An Albemarle county school spokesperson says they too just learned about ZOG and at this point have no comment on the situation.
