Looters arrested after being caught on TV cameras during hurricane
Police in Florida have arrested nine people who were caught on TV cameras looting sneakers and other goods from a sporting goods store and a pawn shop during Hurricane Irma.
Fort Lauderdale Police Chief Rick Maglione said the group was arrested Sunday as the storm roared across South Florida. Maglione called the idea of stealing sneakers during a hurricane "a fairly bad life choice."
CBS Miami's Hank Tester drove by Simon's Sportswear in Fort Lauderdale where he actually witnessed one of several looters running out of the store through a smashed in window while holding stolen merchandise.
Tester yelled out at the looter, "Hey, What are you doing?" But the thief kept running.
After the Fort Lauderdale arrests, the Broward Sheriff's Office posted on Twitter: "ATTENTION LOOTERS; Every incident will be investigated. Evidence collected will be used to pursue charges after the fact."
ATTENTION LOOTERS; Every incident will be investigated. Evidence collected will be used to pursue charges after the fact. #HurrcaneIrma
— Broward Sheriff (@browardsheriff) September 10, 2017
Other local TV images showed the alleged looters running in and out of a store through a broken window carrying boxes of sneakers.
It wasn't immediately clear what charges those arrested would face. Their identities also were not immediately released.
On Monday, Miami-Dade Police reported that 28 arrests had been made for burglary and looting:
28 arrests so far for burglary/looting. Our officers remain on patrol and the curfew is in effect until 7am. #HurricaneIrma
— Miami-Dade Police (@MiamiDadePD) September 11, 2017
We have made numerous arrests for looting. We're on patrol & won't tolerate criminal activity as our community recovers from #HurricaneIrma!
— Miami-Dade Police (@MiamiDadePD) September 11, 2017