Four police officers arrested for looting after earthquakes in Venezuela
Venezuelan authorities arrested four police officers accused of looting buildings destroyed by earthquakes. Videos show uniformed officers taking money and objects from the rubble.
Four police officers arrested for looting after earthquakes in Venezuela
Four Venezuelan police officers were arrested for theft in an area devastated by the double earthquake that struck the country, leaving at least 2000 dead and thousands of people missing. This was reported by the Justice Ministry after videos of the crimes spread rapidly on social media, according to reporting by BTA.
In one of the recordings, a uniformed officer is seen holding a small deformed safe, apparently extracted from the rubble, which contained dollar bills. In the images, the police officer is surrounded by people demanding that he leave the safe. In another video, a woman distributes banknotes that were taken by law enforcement officers.
That same day, the Justice Ministry published a video in which the same police officer hands over his firearm and removes his uniform, along with photographs of four other colleagues who participated in the looting.
"A group of officials who deviated from their service obligations and took advantage of ongoing rescue operations acted in an unworthy manner, by appropriating objects found in the rubble," the ministry's statement noted. The document also emphasises that the police officers were arrested, dismissed and placed at the disposal of judicial authorities.
Following the earthquake in Venezuela, numerous cases of looting and theft were recorded, prompting law enforcement to be mobilised to control the situation, although according to eyewitness accounts the crimes continue, the AFP news agency reported.
Source: Bulgarian News Agency (BTA)