Caught on camera: Looters make off with sneakers from Foot Locker during Hurricane Irma

Most people would run for cover when a deadly hurricane is headed their way.

But not for a bunch of looters in Miami.

They were caught stealing all kinds of goods from different stores across Florida during Hurricane Irma.

At least two Florida-based news publications have posted their own footage of these incidents.

A group of about nine people were arrested by Fort Lauderdale police after they were caught breaking into and looting a local sportswear store.

They had broken through the store's front window and were later seen walking out with stolen items, Local 10 reported. 

[embed]https://twitter.com/WPLGLocal10/status/906934340445245440?[/embed]

The news outlet had filmed the perpetrators as they robbed the store in broad daylight. 

Another video posted on Twitter showed a separate incident, also in the Fort Lauderdale area, where several people were spotted carrying boxes of sneakers out of a Foot Locker store.

[embed]https://twitter.com/SabovicSanela/status/906937463691730945?[/embed]

Although the storm continued to lash cities with gusty winds and heavy rain, these criminals were undeterred.

This is also in spite of the fact that the mayor of Tampa, Bob Buckhorn, had imposed a curfew and warned of "aggressive" consequences should anyone be caught looting, Metro UK reported.

He said: "There is nothing worse than taking advantage of your fellow citizens at a time like this. We will not tolerate in any way, shape or form anybody we catch engaged in criminal behaviour, particularly in the areas that have been hardest-hit by this hurricane."

In a tweet posted on Sunday (Sept 10) night, Buckhorn said: "We are about to get punched in the face by this storm. We need to be prepared."

People caught outside after 6pm could be arrested and face misdemeanour charges, according to media reports.

Fort Lauderdale City Manager Lee Feldman tweeted a photo in the early hours of Sept 11 showing one such looter being arrested by a police officer.

[embed]https://twitter.com/leefeldman/status/906936837809299456[/embed]

News of the looting came just when Fort Lauderdale started to feel the effects of Irma, Heavy.com reported.

Irma had already made landfall in many parts of Florida on Sunday morning.

The hurricane has reportedly resulted in one of the worst disasters in US history.

At the time of publication, Irma looks to be moving up the west coast of Florida but has been downgraded to a category 2 storm.

ssandrea@sph.com.sg