A group of at least eight people broke into and stole merchandise from a Fort Lauderdale shoe store as Hurricane Irma pummels the Florida city.
Camera crews from ABC Local 10 filmed the group of men and women breaking into Simon’s Sportswear, an athletic clothing retailer with dozens of locations across South Florida.
Video shows various members of the group entering and exiting the store through a broken window.
Some members of the group leave with merchandise.
At least eight people were filmed by a local ABC camera crew breaking into Simon’s Sportswear in Fort Lauderdale
None of the group of at least eight people have been identified. They were filmed entering the store through a broken window and leaving with store merchandise
A Foot Locker near the Simon’s Sportswear was also looted, ABC reported. It is not sure whether the same group vandalized that store as well
ABC Local 10 also reports that a group vandalized a Foot Locker in the city, which is 25 miles north of Florida.
It is not clear whether the two groups were the same or not.
No one shown in the video has been identified.
This incident follows a home break-in in Polk County.
Marvell Parkinson, 18, and a 17-year-old boy were arrested by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office for burglarizing an empty Lake Wales, Florida home.
A witness noticed that two suspects were at the back of her neighbor’s home on Friday around 1.45pm on Beverly Drive.
They ran when they noticed her but were taken into custody.
People took to Twitter to condemn the actions of the group that was filmed
According to the deputies, the 17-year-old suspect had a window punch in his pocket.
He told them that they had walked through the neighborhood until they located a house that had not been boarded up.
Marvell Parkinson, 18, (pictured) and a 17-year-old boy were arrested by Polk County Sheriff’s Office for burglarizing an empty Lake Wales, Florida, home
Entering the home through the back door, they stole a set of keys and the younger boy opened the garage door for his accomplice.
Parkinson allegedly then tried to use the keys to steal a 2001 Dodge Intrepid but the battery was dead.
‘We want everyone to be safe during the hurricane. And we will not tolerate thieves taking advantage of those evacuating their homes. Looters need to be prepared to go to jail if they try to take advantage of people during a state of emergency,’ said Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd in a press release.
Both suspects have criminal histories, including burglary, grand theft and possession of marijuana.
They face multiple charges including burglary of an occupied dwelling during a state of emergency, resisting arrest without violence and unarmed burglary of a residence.
Parkinson was additionally charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
A witness noticed that two suspects were at the back of her neighbor’s home on Friday around 1.45pm on Beverly Drive. They ran when they noticed her but were taken into custody
They join 30-year-old Keith Adams who was caught burglarizing Atlantic Hardscapes in St. Lucie County on Saturday.
They join 30-year-old Keith Adams who was caught burglarizing Atlantic Hardscapes in St. Lucie on Saturday
A member of the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office was patrolling shuttered homes along North U.S. 1 when he spotted Adams.
‘I have said over and over that we will not tolerate looting or price gouging,’ said Sheriff Ken J. Mascara.
‘We have deputies actively patrolling the county, including our beach communities, to ensure the safety and security of your homes and businesses.
‘If you think you are going to take advantage of these evacuated properties, be prepared to spend the storm at the county jail.’