Dozens arrested, including migrants, in Florida looting, scheming cases post hurricanes

PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. (TNND) — A Florida sheriff cracked down on dozens of people who allegedly committed crimes and took advantage of the situation in the aftermath of hurricanes Helene and Milton.

Sheriff Bob Gualtieri ofPinellas County said suspects were arrested during a three-day operation in the Florida county that left devastating damage from back-to-back hurricanes.

Over the last three weeks, deputies patrolled the area where more than 500,000 residents live. An evacuation order had asked residents to leave for their safety. As they left Gualtieri said he assured the community his looting patrols deputies would prevent "those who wanted to wreak further havoc" in the Pinellas coast.

As of Monday, 63 suspects have been arrested on 93 different charges.

Some of the suspects arrested were identified as non-U.S. citizens

A lot of these people were in the area to take others' property, and our deputies' efforts prevented additional crimes from occurring," saidGualtieri. "Now of these, 196 people that we had contact with and we got them out of here. One-hundred and forty-one were not from Pinellas County, and 163 of the 196 people were not U.S. citizens.

At least 41 illegal immigrants were arrested for allegedly looting and scamming victims, according to the sheriff.

Gualtieri said the illegal immigrants who are from Mexico, Cuba, Colombia, Hondura, Venezuela and other countries, were inPinellas County "to take others property."

An an undercover operation in Madeira Beach called "Flood of Fraud" resulted in 58 suspects who were unlicensed contractors. About 80 different charges involving unlicensed contracting were filed in that round-up.

"These people are simply scammers and thieves, and no different than the people in the neighborhoods at 3 a.m. breaking into a house that we've been arresting," Gualtieri said at a press conference Thursday.

Gualtieri said in some instances suspects used fake business cards to legitimize their scheme.

Local law enforcement officials say they're still encountering illegal activity, but are doing what they can right now to "protect" residents from being "ripped off."

"Don't come to Pinellas County and steal in these storm-ravaged communities. Don't prey on people who are trying to recover, because if you do, you're going to go to jail on multiple felony charges," the sheriff warned.