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Wednesday, April 4, 2018

This is what we call fake news....

In the days after Hurricane Harvey hit last August, we had serious problems with looting. Personally, I will cut people some slack if they are lifting food, water, baby supplies, even some cloths. We were in a disaster area and food and water were in short supply in some areas.

Now this is interesting. The local ABC affiliate is reporting on a looter who was caught in the days after Harvey hit. Now take a look at the headline, which, for many people, will be the only part of the story they look at:

Looter gets 20 years for stealing cigarettes and TVs during Hurricane Harvey

OK, a man is stealing cigarettes right after a Cat 5 hurricane hits the Houston area. Now some of the details left out, unless you real the full article:
The Harris County District Attorney's Office said Gamelin was caught stealing televisions and cigarettes from a store on Silber Road during the height of the storm.

Gamelin was on parole for a drug conviction when he took more than $5,000 worth of loot.

Police said Gamelin used a Ford van to smash open the cart doorway. He then climbed through the hole and removed a television and tobacco products from the store...

OK, first the man is on parole, so I think a felony of burglary will will be enough to violate that. Or the fact he has likely committed felony level of criminal mischief. Or it's likely (assumption on my part) he has been convicted of theft twice before, and the third time is a state jail felony.
Perhaps our news readers should get a better knowledge of the law before they read about it.

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