Dozens of Looters Arrested: “People are turning on each other — they’re attacking each other”

(pictured: women treats herself to a new pair of shoes)

While parts of the east coast are returning to normal in  the wake of Sandy’s landfall, reports of looting, robberies, and fights have begun to surface in some areas devastated by the storm.

On Coney Island, which was forced to evacuate emergency responders and law enforcement personnel over the weekend, it didn’t take long for individuals and gangs to organize:

Thieves broke in to the badly damaged Mega Aid Pharmacy on Mermaid Avenue and reportedly stole more than 10,000 pharmaceutical items, including prescription drugs.

“The water went away and these people started walking down the streets and just robbed stores,” a pharmacy worker told HuffPo’s Andy Campbell.

Manager Stan Gutkin said the major heist essentially “breaks the business.”

Looters reportedly also targeted banks, other shops, and other pharmacies.

And residents are noticing.

“People are turning on each other — they’re attacking each other,” Ocean Towers resident Dena Wells told Campbell.

Source: Business Insider

The disaster has brought out the worst in some people, with reports from areas of New York indicating that some have started impersonating utility workers and emergency personnel to get a foot in the door:

Some posed as Con Ed workers to dupe their victims…

“This morning when they told us the water receded, I walked back to the house to feed [my pets],” said Eric Martine, 33, a cabby who lives in Brooklyn’s Gerritsen Beach.

“Guys were looting, pretending they were Con Ed and holding people up. It was sick.”

Residents said police warned them to beware of crooks pretending to be utility workers.

Cops fanned out yesterday to deal with looters around the city.

“We will not tolerate these scumbags looting. We will arrest them on sight,” said a police source.

The storm knocked out the plate-glass windows of several Seaport stores, and piggish punks took full advantage of the unguarded merchandise.

…

“Almost everything is gone,” said store owner Mirza Baig. “We want to reopen but we don’t know how.”

Source: New York Post

Watch: Man Trying to Loot Copper Emerges from Rubble; Is Arrested By Police:

While some are taking advantage of the temporary breakdown in law and order, it will be short-lived.

Unlike Hurricane Katrina,which left the city of New Orleans paralyzed with no power, food or water for weeks, east coast services like law enforcement are being quickly restored. Police and National Guard troops are being deployed across the region to help protect businesses and areas prone to criminal activity.