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Image source: dakine kane on Flickr – looting and robberies are still happening in the Rockaways, three months after Hurricane Sandy hit

The Times Ledger reports on how local politicians are considering upping the punishment for looting, which was prevalent in neighborhoods like Breezy Point and elsewhere in the Rockaways, right after Hurricane Sandy tore up NYC. Looting continues in some vulnerable areas, too. We know that from the conversations we had with folks right after the hurricane, the overall reaction to the looting was outrage. Well, Queens lawmakers are looking to enact tougher penalties on looters – State Senator Joseph Addabbo (D-Howard Beach) is in the middle of drafting legislation “that would levy tougher punishments for people who loot or commit a crime during a blackout.”

City Councilman Eric Ulrich (R-Ozone Park) says, “People who commit crimes in disaster areas are downright despicable and deserve to face the stiffest penalties under the law.” He, along with James Oddo (R-Staten Island), also drafted legislation regarding looting, and submitted it to the City Council last month. The penalty they proposed was $50,000 (civil penalty) levied against anyone who was “convicted of property crimes or fraud in areas under a mandatory evacuation order.” And that would be on top of any other criminal penalties charged to the convicted person.

Council Speaker Christine Quinn (D-Manhattan) also supports this legislation. She said, “Such crimes are even worse because they divert critical resources from helping victims recover from disasters. These acts must therefore be treated with the utmost seriousness and result in significant penalties.”

Queens pols seek tough penalities for looters [Times Ledger]


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