Florida Governor Ron DeSantis warned potential criminals about exploiting the upheaval caused by Hurricane Ian. He firmly proclaimed, “Don’t even think about looting.”
Hurricane Ian, a Category 4 hurricane, devastated parts of southwest Florida in the last week, leaving 83 people dead. The displacement caused by the hurricane has opened up new opportunities for depraved individuals to loot businesses and other forms of private property.
On September 30, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office published photos on social media of five individuals who were arrested for looting. “Sheriff Carmine Marceno means business and has taken a zero tolerance stance on looting. We are patrolling and you will be arrested if you partake in criminal activity,” the sheriff’s office said in a post it made on Facebook.