More than 100 people, including at least 41 illegal immigrants, have been arrested in Florida for allegedly looting and defrauding hurricane victims. Helene and Miltonlocal law enforcement officials said.

Plunder patrols in Pinellas County have apprehended 45 suspects in the past three weeks on 68 charges that include armed robbery, burglary, loitering and prowling, grand larceny, vandalism and trespassing, according to Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri.

“They’re breaking into people’s homes, taking their belongings, going through their belongings,” Gualtieri said.

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58 more suspects were arrested in the operation that allegedly targeted unlicensed contractors. Gualtieri said his scams often involved billing victims totaling $250 million for repairs they never intended to make.

“This is a concrete example of people trying to exploit others when they’re down and out and exploiting others when they have nothing while they’re trying to rebuild,” Gualtieri said.

During a press conference, Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri shared an update on the arrests of dozens of illegal immigrants who allegedly stole from and defrauded victims of Hurricane Milton and Hurricane Helene. (Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office)

At least 41 of the 45 suspects arrested by anti-looting patrols on Pinellas County barrier islands were illegal immigrants, Gualtieri said at a news conference Thursday. He said almost all of the suspects were from South America or Central America.

The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office has arrested more than 100 people accused of taking advantage of victims of hurricanes Helene and Milton. (Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office)

Suspects arrested in contracting scams often offered to do projects totaling more than $250 million, including plumbing, roofing and electrical work.

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One suspect even had business cards to impersonate a legitimate contracting company, Gualtieri added.

“People offer to do work on their property, but in some cases they have no intention of doing the work. In other cases, they are not qualified to do the work, and in none of these cases are they licensed to do the work.” Gualtieri said.

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A drone shot of destroyed beach homes after Hurricane Milton made landfall in Manasota Key, Fla., on Oct. 11, 2024. (Reuters/Ricardo Arduengo/File Photo)

The sheriff added that his office contacted 196 people who were in beach neighborhoods where they did not belong, but officers did not have good cause to arrest them. 163 of them were found being an illegal immigranthe said.

“So we contacted them and told them to get out,” Gualtieri said. “We’ve never seen anything of this magnitude before. We’ve never seen this influx of people from outside the area coming here to openly steal, steal, do bad things and target these vulnerable people.”

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Gualtieri said almost all of those arrested during the three-week operation extensive criminal records.

“As Pinellas beaches recover, we will continue these patrols and arrest anyone we can who is stealing from defenseless victims of two back-to-back storms,” ​​Gualtieri said. he said.

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Gualtieri said sheriff’s office It will continue to have dozens of extra deputies patrolling the barrier islands day and night to keep people off the islands who don’t belong there.

“Our efforts to protect the community did not stop due to the direct impact of these hurricanes. We are now focused on protecting our residents and businesses who are desperate to rebuild and move on with their lives.”