Looting

[mikeford]

I am a little curious to see from the trash, how much of looted food and drink made it back to the groups at the convention center and sports arena.

I have mixed feeling on looting. In many cases the items will spoil, or even though "fine" be declared unsellable, and getting food for yourself or family as long as it isn't taking it from others who need it, is fine with me. Anybody stealing any item not reasonably related to survival should be punished.

Looters killed people, maybe not with their own hands, but by preventing people from helping those who needed help. To say nothing of how looters hardened many hearts against NO. I am sure many who considered opening their homes, saw the looting and changed their minds.

 

[NetGuySC]

I'm still wondering how many of these looters to keep from starving to death or for other reasons, will be returning to these stores to pay for what they looted?

 

[mikeford]

What was looted in many cases is much smaller than the cost of damage to the property from looting or fires set.

 

[TRUMPHENT]

Looters are an expected component of disasters like this. After Andrew, looters were active before the winds had died down.

Good luck in hoping the authorities can take tiime to track down the looters that can be identified.

David Bloom, the NBC correspondent that died of a blood clot on the road to Baghdad was in Miami for Andrew. He actually challenged a couple of them and shamed them into returning their stolen goods.

Something I have never understood, when Andrew hit, why didn't a military reconaisance aircraft fly over immediately after the storm. 13 years later, the same thing happens.

 

[mikeford]

Why is a store with insurance going to waste any time going after a looter?

Looting in most cases is more a public order question than a property loss issue.

 

[Wheezer]

Wait until the insurance companies start paying out claims...THEN you'll see looting.

 

[Lmronby]

The military is not allowed to fly recon aircraft over the states. "Spying" on US citizens is under the scope of the FBI. We tried to put recon aircraft over the Katrina area and were told we were unallowed.

 

[TRUMPHENT]

Originally posted by: Lmronby
The military is not allowed to fly recon aircraft over the states. "Spying" on US citizens is under the scope of the FBI. We tried to put recon aircraft over the Katrina area and were told we were unallowed.

Well then, a state official should get onto a private charter aircraft with a handheld camera and lots of film. That, or make a deal with news agencies to go in immediately after the storm passes. In the olden days, aerial photography was used to determine building code violations ie illegal additions to buildings. I believe state law enforcement agencies and revenuers use infrared to spot things like meth labs and moonshine stills.

Once a state of emergency has been declared and the area is officially designated a disaster, surveys should begin the instant it is safe to ge into the air.

 

[TWills]

Whan this is all over, I would like to see a percentile of total goods stolen or missing. Dibs on 84%

 

[conjur]

Originally posted by: TWills
Whan this is all over, I would like to see a percentile of total goods stolen or missing. Dibs on 84%

How would you know what was was stolen/looted vs. floated out on its own?

 

[ExpertNovice]

Originally posted by: conjur

Originally posted by: TWills
Whan this is all over, I would like to see a percentile of total goods stolen or missing. Dibs on 84%

How would you know what was was stolen/looted vs. floated out on its own?

Hehe, so true.

Personally, as much as I believe that looters should be punished severely. If they were stealing food, water, and other necessities (yes, this can put us into grey areas...) and I were responsible for stopping looters I'm afraid my attention will have been averted as they were leaving the area.

Sometimes survival requires doing the unthinkable.

 

[mikeford]

Almost nothing is going to float out on its own, there is no flow, just up and then down. Plus not many looters were taking anything that was wet or damaged anyway. Here is my own looting scale of badness;

The worst.
Break into someones home and cause them harm, directly, or indirectly by taking or damaging supplies or shelter.

Break into someones evacuated home and take or damage any non survival item.

Break into a business and take or damage anything not related to survival.

Breaking into a business and taking more survival items that you can use with no intent to share.

Stuff thats fine with me.
Breaking into a business and taking the survival items you and your family need.

Breaking into a business and taking survival items to groups that need it, not just yourself.

Either of the last two if you admit your actions and attempt to pay for the goods and/or damage later.

 

[Jakebrake]

Two things:

First, the military is and can use recon aircraft to survey the damage.
U-2 are used to survey the damage.

Second, what is the definition of "looting" and "finding" in a disaster situation?

Controversy over New Orleans photo captions.

 

[mikeford]

Read the text with the pictures, AP says if the reporters actually saw people taking stuff from a store it was labeled looting. The French press who took the other photo said they choose to use milder language in the context of the disaster.

This isn't Black and White, its AP and APF, and somebody had to hunt them up and put on the spin without looking for anything behind it. Its called propaganda.

Finding implies the item has no clear owner. Finding things inside the Walmart is looting.

Any guess on how many recovered bodies are going to have wallets, watches, rings, or gold teeth?

 

[Jakebrake]

Originally posted by: mikeford
Read the text with the pictures, AP says if the reporters actually saw people taking stuff from a store it was labeled looting. The French press who took the other photo said they choose to use milder language in the context of the disaster.

This isn't Black and White, its AP and APF, and somebody had to hunt them up and put on the spin without looking for anything behind it. Its called propaganda.

Finding implies the item has no clear owner. Finding things inside the Walmart is looting.

Any guess on how many recovered bodies are going to have wallets, watches, rings, or gold teeth?

Because race is never an issue in this country right?