Hurricane Irma Looters Caught On Camera, Arrested

MIAMI, FL—Despite stern warnings from authorities, looters have been breaking into empty businesses and homes around Florida. Some have been caught on camera.

Miami-Dade County Police have arrested looters, as have police in other Florida. But no group of criminal suspects likely has been as publicly shamed as those in Miami, who had their photo from a holding cell released on the police department's Facebook page. The agency wrote: "Thinking about looting? Ask these guys how that turned out."

On Monday afternoon the image had been shared almost 10,000 times on Facebook, and had received 1,2000 comments, which ranged from "Who the hell loots during a hurricane?" to "their sentence should be jail time, but also include "community service" that requires them to clean up the trashy aftermath!"

The suspects in custody in the photo may have been arrested in connection with the looting of a Foot Lockerstore, FOX5 reports. Miami-Dade Police say 28 people have been arrested for burglary/looting by Monday morning. Residents are asked to report looting or any criminal activity by calling 305-4-POLICE.

In Fort Lauderdale, ABC News caught footage of a group looting Simon's Sportswear on Sunrise Boulevard and Powerline Road around 1:30 p.m. Sunday. The group went on to rob CashAmerica Pawn nearby, but Fort Lauderdale Police arrested nine suspects hours later.

In the video, the looters appeared to flee with boxes of shoes.

"Going to prison over a pair of sneakers is a fairly bad life choice," Police Chief Rick Maglione said in a statement. "Stay home and look after your loved [ones] and be thankful they are all safe."

Not long after the news station caught the looting incident on camera, a reporter witnessed another shoe theft nearby on Sunrise Boulevard.

In St. Lucie County, a sheriff's deputy patrolling the streets caught a man breaking into Atlantic Hardscapes on North U.S. 1, ABC News reports. Sheriff Ken J. Mascara said in a statement, "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."

Other arrests include a car thief in Broward County and burglar in Martin County.

Authorities around the state echoed similar warnings to looters.

Irma took a path up Florida's western coast on Sunday, but Miami felt the storm's wrath as streets flooded, millions lost power and two cranes toppled in the downtown area. The storm made landfall in the Florida Keys Sunday morning and again at Marco Island on the mainland just before 4 p.m.

SEE ALSO:

• Hurricane Irma Live Updates: Storm's Center Nearing Naples, 2 Miami Cranes Collapse, 2M Without Power
Category 3 Hurricane Irma: 'Please Stay Inside'; More Than 2M Without Power In South Florida
• Watch Hurricane Irma's Path Live On Florida Webcams

Pictured: Recently planted palm trees lie strewn across the road as Hurricane Irma passes by, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017, in Miami Beach, Fla. (Wilfredo Lee/Associated Press)