Some individuals have already begun taking advantage of the circumstances and looting amid the mayhem. Sections of Florida anticipate a long recovery process from the enormous destruction wrought by Hurricane Ian.
Sheriff Expects the Worst
Martin County Sheriff William Snyder told TCPalm that he doesn’t anticipate the looters to slow down since they are anticipating the worst.
He claimed that “quite early” after the Category 4 storm hit land in western Florida last week, thieves began robbing and ransacking buildings.
Officials came across a number of “very suspicious people” searching for drinks, food, and gasoline immediately after the team arrived in Charlotte, but no one was detained at the time.
Snyder, meanwhile, eventually learned that someone had been looting gas-powered generators that have been intended to operate traffic control equipment.
We haven’t seen a leader like Governor DeSantis in my lifetime. He’s at Waffle House frying hash browns for first responders. He’s making sure peoples homes are protected from looting. He’s providing hurricane relief HIMSELF.
This man is going to win re-election by a landslide.
— Christian Walker (@ChristianWalk1r) October 1, 2022
One day after the team arrived, they were informed that a house caught fire since the owner stored a generator in the garage out of concern that someone would take their gas generator. According to Snyder, the home was a complete loss.
The sheriff said, “The issue that struck me more than any other was just how vulnerable civilization is when both water and electricity go. Without gas, electricity, or water, things seem to stop.”
Sheriff Carmine Marceno of neighboring Lee County issued a stern warning to would-be robbers after four individuals, three of whom were ineligible for citizenship, were apprehended on September 29 for taking advantage of the circumstance.
As for looting, Lee County is a place of law and order. “We will always maintain law and order in our wonderful state of Florida,” added Marceno.
“We presently have four cases of looting and I’m happy to report that everyone involved is in jail, wherein they belong. Our people will be secure.”
Looters Detained
Robert Mena, Brandon Araya, and Stephen Araya, three of the people who were detained, according to Marceno, were unlawfully present in the country when they were apprehended in Lee County for looting.
According to Lee County jail records, Stephen Eduardo Sanchez Araya, 20, Brandon Mauricio Araya, 20, Omar Mejia Ortiz, 33, Valerie Celeste Salcedo Mena, 26, and Stephen Eduardo Sanchez Araya, 20, each got all detained for breaking into an uninhabited building during a time of emergency.
Additionally, Ortiz is accused of petit larceny.
Following reports that individuals had reportedly begun flocking to devastated islands and ravaging properties, officials including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis have sent similar warnings to would-be looters.
BREAKING REPORT: Multiple Illegal Immigrants ARRESTED FOR LOOTING After Hurricane Ian – Florida Sheriff Issues New Warning..
— Chuck Callesto (@ChuckCallesto) October 4, 2022
Considering that Florida is a Second Amendment state, DeSantis highlighted that some Floridians own firearms.
Additionally, other locals “blocked off all the stores and there are those that scrawled on their plywood, ‘you loot, we shoot.’ When it’s all said and done, we won’t enable lawlessness to profit from this circumstance,” DeSantis claimed.
This article appeared in Conservative Cardinal and has been published here with permission.
