Shop owners in the path of Hurricane Florence are refusing to be victims. “LOOTERS WILL BE SHOT” signs are popping up, as the governor of South Carolina proclaims that “Looters will be shown no mercy.”
South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster said that anyone who loots during Hurricane Florence will be shown “no mercy” by law enforcement.
“This is gonna be a very trying period,” he said at a Friday news conference.McMaster said Florence will be different than previous storms that have hit the area, and its effects will be felt for longer as it travels slowly. “This will be with us for about two days,” he said.
He said residents should expect impassable bridges, washed out roads, landslides and flooding. He also pleaded with them to be patient.
“The last thing we want to do is lose lives in South Carolina because of impatience,” he said.
In Myrtle Beach, a bar called Knuckleheads have boarded up their windows and spray painted “LOOTERS WILL BE SHOT” on the plywood.
Meanwhile, the first waves of arrests are taking place, as law enforcement in Brunswick County, North Carolina, have taken four individuals into custody on charges of breaking and entering.
The New York Daily News reports:
At least four people in Brunswick County have been charged with efforts to break and enter a store.
Authorities have seen car, business and home break-ins, calls of suspicious people — and arrested one after a police chase.
“Naturally you’ll have individuals that will try to look for opportunities to prey upon people when they are at their most vulnerable,” Brunswick County Sheriff John Ingram told WWAY News. “In this situation we’ve had a lot of people that have evacuated their homes and businesses … and we have already seen that through the night.”
In response to the crimes, Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office shared a Facebook post advising “deputies are still on duty! You will be arrested!”
“I want people to know that — yes the criminal element is out and looking for opportunities – but we are out in force and we’re doing everything we can to protect their property,” Ingram said.
One of the thieves busted into a mini-mart in Leland and led cops on a chase before he was arrested Thursday night.
Dashaun Smith, 25, and Brandon Bellamy, 30, were charged with possession of burglary tools along with breaking into Tommy’s Mini Mart in Leland, according to the outlet. They are both being held on a $20,000 bond.
Devin Harris, 21, and Justice Harris, 18, were both charged with breaking and entering a motor vehicle. They are both being held on a $5,000 bond, according to WWAY News.
Other looters, who were not named, were caught breaking into private homes, police said.
This seems to be contrary to what the police did during Hurricane Katrina, where they went door to door confiscating guns from the citizens. And, of course, looters had their way.
If Michael Bloomberg and Dianne Feinstein had it their way, the looters would have free reign and the citizens would be barred from defending themselves, their families, and their homes.
