Fort Lauderdale police arrest 9 people caught on camera looting

Carline Jean | Sun Sentinel | TNS | Getty Images

Hurricane Irma inspires messages on plywood used to protect windows as Hurricane Irma approaches Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Fort Lauderdale police arrested nine people that a local television news station caught looting.

The police department said Sunday on Twitter the nine were looting CashAmerica Pawn and Simon’s Sportswear on Sunrise Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale.

“Going to prison over a pair of sneakers is a fairly bad life choice,” Police Chief Rick Maglione said in a statement. “Stay home and look after your loved (ones) and be thankful they are all safe.”

A local ABC film crew taped people looting Simon’s Sportswear on Sunday. The station shared the footage on Twitter.

#BREAKING Local 10 cameras catch looters breaking into stores in Fort Lauderdale during #Irma http://bit.ly/2fconJ6

Fort Lauderdale police have been discouraging people on social media from looting.

#FLPD WARNING from Chief: “anyone who intends to victimize our neighbors during this difficult time…will be captured and arrested.”

Earlier in the week, the police department said it would deploy burglary suppression teams, which would focus their efforts on evacuated areas.

“The teams will work 24/7 with the sole mission to apprehend criminals,” Maglione said in a statement. “They are quite good at what they do.”