Greater than a dozen individuals are dealing with upgraded disaster-time fees in Harris County, District Legal professional Kim Ogg tells KPRC 2, accused of focusing on properties and companies coping with the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl.
Talking completely with KPRC 2′s Bryce Newberry, Ogg stated further enhanced fees are potential.
“If you happen to try to kick us whereas we’re down, we’re going to punch you again even tougher,” Ogg stated.
Underneath Texas legislation, prosecutors can improve the diploma of sure fees, like assault, housebreaking, or theft, if the crime occurs throughout a declared catastrophe.
Appearing Gov. Dan Patrick added Harris County to the record of counties beneath a catastrophe declaration on July 6, as Hurricane Beryl approached the Gulf Coast.
“An enhancement is an improve of fees that carries extra punishment. And it’s designed to discourage individuals who would benefit from people who find themselves attempting to take care of catastrophe,” Ogg stated.
To date, HPD has introduced the arrest of 12 people since Hurricane Beryl made landfall, accused of focusing on properties and companies which have been with out energy, however court docket information present not all 12 of them are dealing with enhanced fees.
However 4 of the people arrested allegedly broke into a house to steal electrical energy from a sufferer, information present, and they’re now dealing with enhanced housebreaking fees.
The division introduced their arrests late Friday on X.
ARRESTED: Our officers caught these 4 suspects within the act of breaking into 2 companies out of energy from #HurricaneBeryl.
Early on Weds. (July 10), three of the suspects focused a enterprise at 5902 Eastwood St. and the opposite suspect at 10008 Gulf Fwy.#hounews
1/2 pic.twitter.com/rluheVtZpq
— Houston Police (@houstonpolice) July 12, 2024
For instance, Ogg stated burglarizing a house is often a second-degree felony eligible for 2 to twenty years in jail, but when dedicated throughout a catastrophe, it turns into a first-degree felony punishable by 5 years as much as life in jail.
“Individuals are extra weak. Victims are extra plentiful. And so, it’s designed as a deterrent within the legislation to maintain folks from committing these crimes when of us are already hurting,” Ogg stated.
Montrose restaurant focused by thieves after Beryl
About 48 hours after Hurricane Beryl made landfall close to Matagorda, SALA Thai Eatery in Montrose was hit by two burglars round 6:30 Wednesday morning.
The burglars broke the glass entrance door and spent only a few minutes within the restaurant. All of it was captured on surveillance video shared with KPRC 2.
“It was actually fast. It was skilled in a manner,” server Chanon Yongsanguanchai stated. “[The thieves] stole most of our liquor, just like the costly ones, and our secure was additionally lacking.”
Surveillance video confirmed the crooks shining flashlights round cupboards, loading up an estimated 1000’s of {dollars}’ price of liquor and stealing an worker’s Yeezys.
The broken entrance door didn’t get changed till Friday afternoon.
“Plenty of vehicles got here into the parking zone and rotated as a result of they thought we have been closed so… that disrupted our enterprise quite a bit,” Yongsanguanchai stated. “In occasions of want after which individuals are nonetheless not serving to one another out, they usually simply benefit from totally different folks… I believe it’s unacceptable and they need to be dealing with an even bigger cost than common.”
The restaurant has continued doing enterprise regardless of the setback.
“We have been fortunate to outlive the storm,” Yongsanguanchai stated.
The restaurant hopes somebody will acknowledge the brazen post-Beryl burglars, who focused their enterprise simply two months into opening.
Any ideas might be reported anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.
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