In the wake of Hurricanes Helene and Milton, Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri announced Thursday the arrests of multiple people after he said people came to the barrier islands to prey on victims in the wake of flooding and damage.

The storms battered the region over a two-week period, forcing mandatory evacuations, including to barrier islands. Storm surge, particularly from Helene, caused widespread flooding and harm to residents along the coast.

According to a press release, Gualtieri said deputies conducted looting patrols along the barrier islands during a three-week operation from Oct. 2-23.

He said those patrols arrested 45 people on 68 different charges, including armed robbery, grand theft, vandalism and trespassing.

“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.

Gualtieri said most of those arrested came to the area from elsewhere.

“Of the 45 burglars and burglars we arrested, only two were from Pinellas County,” Gualtieri said. “The rest came here from outside the area to steal from our residents and businesses.”

Gualtieri adds that 41 of the suspects are not U.S. citizens and are here illegally, mostly from Central and South American countries.

He said 196 more people were reached on the island, but deputies had no valid reason to arrest them and they were told to take action.

Gualtieri also announced that another 64 people were arrested on 102 criminal charges during a three-day operation called “Flood of Fraud” targeting unlicensed contractors operating in Madeira Beach between October 22 and 24.

“These people are just crooks and thieves and they are no different than the people in the neighborhoods who broke into a house at 3 a.m. that we arrested,” Gualtieri said.

“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.”

Although this operation only covered Madeira Beach, Gualtieri said similar reports came from other barrier islands.

Gualtieri again said most of the people arrested during the operation were not from Pinellas County.